Parallels
by Komikitty
Summary: Kain is missing, and it's up to Kale to find him! If she doesn't get herself killed first. Yeah, it's a MarySue, read at your own risk, and try not to take it to seriously. If you go out in the woods tonight, you'd better go in disguise...
1. Discussions and Disasters

AN: I know it's been done, but I just couldn't HELP myself. This is most certainly an AU. Those of you offended by Paganism . . . don't flame me for it.  
  
Disclaimer: Dude, If I owned The legacy of Kain series . . . *starry eyes*  
  
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"I still think Raziel is hot!"  
  
"But he's practically a CORPSE!"  
  
"He's still the hottest corpse I've ever seen."  
  
"Oh yeah what about Kain?"  
  
" . . . I want both." Raine sweatdropped. Kale was THE strangest person she'd ever met, and she told her so. Kale grinned, her glasses moving slightly as her nose wrinkled. "Well Raine, It all comes from being thought of as totally sexless." Blonde eyebrows rose, hazel eyes rolled.  
  
"Oh come on Raine! Think about it! Every time I walk up to a boy group it always is about sex or video games, You walk up and boys are suddenly going through puberty again. I am the 'boy with boobs'." Raine frowned slightly, there was a bit of resignation in there, but the smile was going full force, and her eyes were mostly green, which meant that Kale meant it as a joke.  
  
" I'm sorry if sex and video games isn't to your liking." She quipped tossing her braid over her shoulder. Kale sighed and posed dramatically as she pushed the button at the crosswalk.  
  
"Oh that it were of love and passion," She straightened up and peered at her friend over her glasses.  
  
"Instead of the mechanics on how Gendo Ikari is screwing around with every female in NERV." Raine burst out laughing as the light turned green and they started across.  
  
"You're kidding me! They actually ASK you about that?" Kale nodded her ponytail bouncing up and down.  
  
"And they expect me to decide if it would be hotter for him to go with Rei or Asuka!" Kale stopped, and put a hand on the taller girl's shoulder.  
  
"Hey . . . Raine? Is it just me . . . or did it get real quiet?" the blonde teenager looked around blue eyes wide.  
  
"All the cars are gone." Kale squinted and looked at the sky, frowning.  
  
"Strange, it was sunny a little bit ago, now it looks like it's going to pour." The blonde shook her friend by the shoulders.  
  
"How can you bee so CALM! All the cars and people and roads and things are GONE!"  
  
The brunette raised a hand to keep her glasses in place. "Yes, I know all the people are gone. I will go into hysterics later, but now we need to find shelter and quickly."  
  
Raine took a deep breath drawing on the strength of her friend. She looked Kale over, baggy cargo pants, plain gray shirt with a camo over shirt, eyes serious and comforting through thick glasses.  
  
"Y-you're right, I'm sorry." The shorter teen hugged her.  
  
"It's okay. We can do this, compared to Mrs. Guillory this is cake." This got a weak laugh from her friend and the brunette smiled,  
  
"Now come on, I think there's a town over the hill to out left."  
  
Hours later....  
  
Raine snorted as what should have been classified as a monsoon continued to pound them.  
  
"Over the hill. Right." She called, shouting to be heard over the wind.  
  
Kale looked back at her only true friend, her jeans were almost black with water and her "Blame my therapist" T-shirt was a second skin.  
  
"Sorry! I thought it was!" the blonde smiled slightly.  
  
"Don't worry about it, at least we won't have to bathe!" The shorter ones laugh was lost in a rumble of thunder. Suddenly a figure came dashing out of the near darkness, as it collided with Kale; an ominous crunching sound reached her ears.  
  
Raine's eyes widened as a shadowy figure collided with her friend.  
  
"KALE!" Both figures dropped, the girl ran over her long legs getting her there in almost no time.  
  
"Kale! Are you hurt?!" A convenient lighting flash illuminated a face she'd never thought she'd see this side of a TV screen.  
  
"RAZIEL?!?!?!" The vampire was up and gone before she could do more then blink, she shook herself and knelt down next to her friend still yelling over the monsoon.  
  
"Kale? Are you hurt?"  
  
"Whoever it was stole my Camo shirt AND broke my glasses!" A small hand held up the bent frames containing one cracked lens.  
  
"Crap." She stared at her mud-splattered friend, who was looking slightly bewildered and blinking trying to see.  
  
"How much can you see?" The shorter girl shook her head, shouting over an energetic gust of wind.  
  
"I wouldn't be able to see wing zero if I were standing on its foot." The blonde swore and pulled her friend up.  
  
"Well he had to be running from something so all we've got to do is retrace his path."  
  
"That will not be necessary." Both teenagers froze as armored men surrounded them  
  
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Raine paced the perimeter of their cell, rubbing her arms against the draft, and wishing the men hadn't taken their shoes. Kale wept silently on the one cot the room contained. As promised she'd had hysterics, quietly in the corner.  
  
The silence shattered as doors burst open and men began running about shouting. The blonde stepped over to the cot.  
  
"Kale, If I lead could you run?" Kale looked up and wiped her eyes seeming to look past the taller girl.  
  
"I-I guess I could . . . I'd stumble a lot though." The blue eyed teen grabbed her hands and pulled her up.  
  
"I don't think it matters, just, be ready." Both heads shot up as screams reached them from outside, before they were cut ominously short. Kale patted her pocket making sure her ruined glasses were with her, and Raine grasped her wrist.  
  
Butterflies danced wildly in the blonde's stomach and the sense of SOMETHING waiting to happen was almost unbearable.  
  
"Something's coming." Kale's voice was loud in the terrified hush of the dungeons, and then her friend heard it to, slow soft footfalls, from . . .  
  
"They're behind us." Raine whispered stiffening. She felt her arm stretch as Kale backed up.  
  
"Raine, this wall is cracked . . ." Suddenly a harsh voice reached their ears,  
  
"Move away from the wall if you wish to survive human." The blonde pulled her friend towards her turning to face the cracked wall; there was a thud and the bricks moved.  
  
"Cover your eyes!" Raine gasped as she raised her arm. Kale brought her hands up to cover her face as a second blow shook the wall.  
  
The third blow sent it shattering outwards and the warriors on the other side of the bars panicked as, from the darkness outside, four men attacked them. Raine looked out through the bars as the men grew fangs and began slaughtering their captors.  
  
"Good God . . ." She jumped as Kale screamed. Raine whirled around to see, a tall pale man with sliver hair carrying Kale's now limp figure.  
  
"Kain?!" She shivered as golden eyes pierced her.  
  
"I will not ask how you know my name, we must go before Moebius arrives, I will carry your companion, keep up." The fortress was eerily empty, though the clashing of swords seemed to come from everywhere BUT where they were. Kale groaned and opened her eyes, and winced as Kain's armored shoulder drove into her stomach.  
  
"Next time you pick me up, whoever you are, TRY not to bang my head on the ceiling." No response was forthcoming.  
  
"I'm assuming that the blonde blur is you Raine?" The taller girl was having trouble keeping up with the vampire, and her response reflected it.  
  
"Yeah," She panted, "S'me." The smaller teen's face turned pale as Kain's armor winded her yet again. Abruptly the cathedral ended and they were standing on the edge of a moat.  
  
"Rahab!" Kale frowned, that voice sounded awfully familiar. A pale face surfaced from the water.  
  
"Here milord."  
  
"The others?"  
  
"Leaving as we speak Milord."  
  
"Good." Kale didn't have time to scream as he flung her over the edge, but strong arms caught her and helped her slip into the water. A small shriek informed her that Raine followed. Then all thought was driven from her mind save one,  
  
"DAMN THATS COLD!" A clawed hand clamped over her mouth and the voice that had answered the familiar one hissed.  
  
"Do you WISH to die?" She shook her head unconsciously treading water.  
  
Raine looked on wide-eyed as the man, vampire? Held her up with one hand rebuking her friend before letting her drop the small distance herself. She barely managed to stifle another shriek, it WAS cold, and after the rain that afternoon she feared for her and her friends health.  
  
"Follow me." The pale man disappeared beneath the dark water and Raine groaned, HOW was she supposed to follow him through this?! As if summoned a full moon shone down showing that the water was almost supernaturally clear and that, Rahab was it? Was waiting impatiently for them to follow.  
  
"Kale, we have to swim. It looks like a long way." Kale sighed and looked at the blur that was her best friend.  
  
"Sometimes I think fate saves stuff like this just for me so she can take me down a peg." The brunette looked down into a swirly blur she assumed was water.  
  
"I hate not having my glasses."  
  
"I told you, you should have switched to contacts." Said Raine taking hold of her wrist.  
  
"Now come on, deep breath, I'll lead." Kale sighed and inhaled filling her diaphragm and lungs before diving below the icy surface.  
  
A few hours later . . .  
  
Kale's teeth chattered uncontrollably, she knew she was pudgy and was thanking the goddess for it now, Raine didn't look so good, the fall after the swim had knocked her out and the cross country hike hadn't done her any good. Rahab was now carrying her friend, no small feat.  
  
"Are we there yet?" She asked attempting to follow him without falling flat on her face. Rahab sounded like he was talking through clenched teeth.  
  
"If we were there yet you two would be out of my hair." She shouldn't, she knew she shouldn't but it just begged for a smart-ass remark.  
  
"We're not in your hair, I know your ego is big but it couldn't have inflated your head THAT badly." A snarl ripped the air and the blur was very close to her face indeed.  
  
"The only reason you live is because Kain would not be pleased to see his efforts wasted." Kale blinked as a blurred face slowly came into focus.  
  
"So YOU'RE Rahab!" She thought for a little bit, studying him, "You're not that bad looking actually." He blinked and moved away again becoming a blur. The brunette sighed.  
  
"I really wish that guy hadn't broken my glasses." There was a confused silence.  
  
"Glasses? What are those?" Kale stumbled over a root, then dug in her pocket, producing the sad remains of what had once been a fine pair of spectacles.  
  
"These. They used to help me see." The ruined glasses were plucked from her hand and silence descended.  
  
At the Clan hold place thingy . . .  
  
False dawn painted the sky as Rahab brought the girls to the giant gates of Kain's clan hold. Kale scrubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands.  
  
"I can't feel my feet." And so saying she promptly passed out from exhaustion.  
  
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Raine opened her eyes stifling a groan. She was warm but she ached all over, she remembered climbing out of the river that went into the moat and then slipping. She attempted to sit up and her head pulsed, it was slightly less then bomb strength.  
  
"Ow, I feel like I got clocked by my History text book."  
  
"Yeah, You hit your head pretty hard." Raine's eyes shot open and she looked up into Kale's slightly unfocused hazel eyes.  
  
"Kale! Are you okay? Where are we? What happened?" The brunette smiled.  
  
"Yes I'm fine, I have no clue, after you hit your head Rahab brought us here, and I passed out when we reached the gates. At least I'm assuming I did cause I don't remember anything after that."  
  
"So, we're in a new place." Kale nodded.  
  
"But not a cell." Again an affirmative nod. Raine moaned as her head throbbed again.  
  
"Describe the room for me?" Kale chuckled softly.  
  
"Well, there's a whitish blur that was my bed and a dark bluish blur that I think is a chair, there's a brown blur I'm guessing is a table and a blur on the wall that signifies a door." The blonde winced.  
  
"I'm sorry, I forgot." The slightly pudgy teen chuckled again.  
  
"It's alright, I don't mind. But it annoys me that I can't see your face . . . or anyone's face for that matter." There was true anguish in her voice and Raine took her hand.  
  
"Hang in there, Once we get to a town I'm sure we can get you new glasses." Kale sighed.  
  
"I just wish I knew who did it so I could clobber them."  
  
Raine's eyes widened "That's right!"  
  
"What is?" Asked a rather confused Kale. The bedridden girl grinned,  
  
"I forgot to tell you who broke your glasses." There was an expectant silence. It stretched on for about a minute.  
  
"Well?" Kale growled. Raine grinned.  
  
"I know you're grinning now tell me, or I'll do IT." Raine snorted, and winced as her head throbbed again,  
  
"You wouldn't do that to me in this condition but I'll tell you anyway. It was . . . Vampiric Raziel."  
  
The girl's knees hit the floor with a thud as she knelt by the bed, "Raine, promise me you're not lying."  
  
Raine raised her right hand, "I swear by the Hellsing series, it was Pre- fall Raziel." Kale's mouth dropped open.  
  
"By the Goddess . . . and I MISSED it!" She put her head in her hands. Then raised it back up, "But he still stole my shirt, the jerk." There was quiet for a bit as they contemplated this.  
  
"But why would he NEED it anyway?" pondered Raine, Kale shrugged.  
  
"Because, The forest had ended and I didn't feel like becoming an acid burnt corpse."  
  
Raine saw Kale stiffen, "The Hell! How did you get in here without me hearing you?" A soft chuckle ran over them like velvet and Raine shivered. Kale stopped looking when she saw a blur standing next to a brown black blur that meant the door was open.  
  
"I AM a Vampire." Kale snorted.  
  
"And I need to know this because?" there was a shocked silence and Kale raised an eyebrow as Raine burst into gales of laughter;  
  
"I . . . bet you wouldn't be saying that if . . ." She broke off, laughing too hard to continue.  
  
"If I could see him? You're right I wouldn't, I'd probably be picking my jaw off the floor." The brunette shrugged and smirked.  
  
"I guess there are some advantages to being nearly blind after all." Raine managed to lift her head a little, her mirth driving away the pain as she saw Raziel's dumbstruck expression. She giggled, dropping back onto amazingly soft pillows.  
  
"Oh my, Poor Raziel. Kale I wish you could see! He looks like he's been smacked with a board!" Both girls burst into laughter at this while the vampire merely stood there dumbstruck.  
  
"I have had your, 'Glasses' repaired. While you slept"  
  
Kale's head shot up, "Rahab?" She stood and looked at the second, new, blur that was moving towards her. "Indeed, I found a glassblower who said he could make new er. . ."  
  
"Lenses." The teen prompted.  
  
"Yes, and a blacksmith with enough skill to create the joints on the holder." Kale coughed slightly covering a laugh.  
  
"Frame, it's called a frame." Her brow furrowed, "But that would have taken time . . ."  
  
Raziel chuckled, "You HAVE been asleep for three days." Raine's jaw dropped, but kale shrugged.  
  
"Ces`t la vie." And held out her hands for her new eyewear. She smiled as Rahab placed them in her hands. She opened up the legs and put the glasses on settling them on her nose.  
  
" I CAN SEE!!" Everyone in the room winced as the cry echoed from the walls. Kale twirled and then gave Rahab a bear hug.  
  
"Thank you SO much! You have NO idea how wonderful this is!" Rahab stood still, not sure weather to break away or just stand there. He settled for clearing his throat.  
  
The short girl let go of him and cleared her throat as well, smiling sheepishly, "Sorry, sorry. Shouldn't have done that, but it's so nice to see!"  
  
Raine winced, "Yes, We can tell, you seem intent on letting the world know." Kale grinned, blushing slightly.  
  
Raziel chuckled softly, "Well now Kain knows you are awake, I might as well take you to meet him." Kale's mouth dropped.  
  
"Ohmigod, I'm going to MEET Kain. It's a dream come true!" She stopped for a moment.  
  
"Or a nightmare depending on if I ate Chili for dinner or not." She winked at Raine eyes gleaming, and the blonde fell victim to another laughing fit. Kale snuck a peek at the vampires and began laughing herself.  
  
"He DOES look like he's been smacked by a board!" She rubbed her eyes, which were beginning to tear slightly.  
  
"Ahhh, I'm sorry, stress relief, now. Take me to your leader!"  
  
Raine pulled back the covers, stood up, "Give me a minute." And proceeded to crack her knuckles, neck, back, wrists, and ankles. Kale sighed.  
  
"I wish I could do that."  
  
Rahab shuddered.  
  
In Kain's Throne room . . .  
  
Kale attempted to look at everything as Raziel ushered them into Kain's throne room, where both teens were promptly shocked.  
  
Kale gasped, "By the Goddess! They still stand!"  
  
Raine looked up at the decaying pillars, eyes wide, "But that's not possible! According to Blood Omen I they should be . . ."  
  
"I know." Kale frowned slightly mouth moving as seven vampires stared at them.  
  
"Okay I think I've got it, We're from an alternate reality right? But each reality has parallels where decisions were made differently, so, if there were MAJOR changes then this would be completely different from the reality of LoK that WE know." Raine frowned and stared at the pillars for a bit.  
  
"So what you're saying is we're in a parallel universe of an alternate reality?" Kale nodded, and Raine snorted.  
  
"Why not just call it an alternate universe?" the shorter girl grinned,  
  
"That would be to simple for my insectoid brain and elephantine ego."  
  
"Enough. Who are you, and where are you from?" Kale twitched, and turned to face the, oddly familiar voice, ready to verbally flay the intruder alive, and then she realized who she was about to dis, and WHY this was a bad idea. Raine elbowed her in a 'you first' gesture.  
  
Kale glared and muttered "Fine, but if he's going to be rude, then I'M going to be over the top." She grinned and stepped forward bowing.  
  
"Most Honorable Lord Kain! I am Kale, I am 19 years old and a bibliophile, I come from a normal white, middle class, suburban home and I am generally considered to be an odd girl who knows more about sex then most teenaged males."  
  
Raine put her face in her hands torn between laughing, growling, and running away screaming. She managed to lift her face long enough to say, "I'm Raine, same age as her, We're from America, don't ask we couldn't explain it to you even if we knew how."  
  
Kale stepped back and winced as the anticipated thwap upside the head was delivered, with more force then strictly necessary.  
  
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End chapter one! Heh, heh, I realize it was probably a bit confusing so I'll be using 1st person P.O.Vs in the next one. 


	2. Talks and Tingly Toes

AN: Second chappie! Kale's POV. Yes I know, I'm making the own names up as I go, don't hurt me please.  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned Legacy of Kain, I would have my own Seraglio and I wouldn't be a virgin. WARNING DEFIANCE SPOILERS!!  
  
Death Raven: Thank you! And here is the next Chapter!  
  
VladimirsAngel: *chuckles* I suppose I wouldn't mind his shirt stealing habits either, IF we were in a private place.  
  
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I rubbed the back of my head and watched Kain glare at us, I knew I was being stupid but good looking guys put me on the defensive.  
  
"So, I look good to you?" I snarled as he grinned.  
  
"Get out of my mind you parasitic-" Raine elbowed me and all the air was driven from my lungs. Kain laughed and waved a hand dismissively.  
  
"No matter, I understand I owe you for the life of my lieutenant."  
  
This seriously confused me, one minute the bastard was poking around my mind the next minute he was thanking me?  
  
"Um, I am unaware that I committed such an act." I could feel my eyes go wide as he held up my Dad's BDU top, or, "My over-shirt" as I called it.  
  
"My Shirt!" Raziel coughed, drawing my attention to him.  
  
"My reconnaissance mission at the Sarafan stronghold was discovered and I had to retreat. The forest provided shelter for a time, but I had to leave it eventually. By pure luck I stumbled upon you, and in my need and haste I stole your garment."  
  
I was sure that if he were human he'd be blushing, and I couldn't help but smile.  
  
"Relax Raz, its not like you stole a pair of my panties out of my back yard." Raine covered her mouth to muffle her giggles but I could guess what she was imagining; Raziel all in black sneaking over a fence to go panty snatching like Happousai.  
  
I turned my laughter into a fit of light coughing, then turned my attention back to Kain.  
  
"May I have my shirt back please?" His eyes met mine and for a moment I thought I saw something akin to curiosity before it was replaced with superior amusement.  
  
I felt my smile slipping but managed to look pleasant and stupid, as Kain handed me the shirt.  
  
He sauntered back to his throne and draped himself over it, laying like a panther at rest.  
  
"Your presence was an excellent excuse to raid the Sarafan's Iberit fortress, but they still rule over a large part of the land. Dumah, What have you heard?" A Vampire in a purple clan banner spoke.  
  
"Word has reached Moebius, and he has doubled the patrols around all villages it is becoming extremely difficult to smuggle out refugees." I blinked. Refugees? Sarafan patrols?  
  
Raine and I exchanged glances, She was the Blood Omen expert, and she looked rather green, apparently this was making as little sense to her as it was to me. She crossed her hands in a t shape.  
  
"Woah, woah, Time out. Care to explain for those of us who are clueless?" I was in perfect agreement and had wanted to ask that myself, but I knew this game to well, I would be the slow dimwitted one, and she would be the domineering, brilliant one.  
  
It worked, and she was always glad of my help, and if truth be told, I preferred behind the scene work, in anything, except for acting.  
  
Even I, in my skepticism was unprepared for the oddities this reality held. The Sarafan were like the Inquisition. The villagers lived in fear of being sent to the dungeons, forced to admit to knowing vampires, even if they'd never seen one before in their life.  
  
Kain and his 'Sons' were a rebel group doing their best to get rid of these fanatics, or at least reduce their numbers to where the normal folk would have a chance. I curled my toes trying to warm them as the chill of the marble started to seep through my socks.  
  
The lieutenants began to give their reports as Raine and I stood in the middle of the, for lack of a better word, throne room. I tried to understand as much of it as I could, Sarafan movements', successful raids, the smuggling of needed goods. It was so much but I listened, knowing that Raine and I could pool our information after the meeting.  
  
I was hearing the words, but SHE was watching who said them, noting their actions and movements. The information came so fast, and I couldn't understand most of it, which was frustrating.  
  
They talked of deployments and counter measures and referred to skirmishes and raids that had happened before we arrived. It was like having a book with only half the pages. I knew there was more but I couldn't get to it.  
  
I glanced over at my friend; Raine was having no such problems. Body language was as easy for her to read as the comics were. After more seemingly useless information the gathering dispersed.  
  
I wiggled my toes wincing as they tingled.  
  
"My feet are near frozen." I whispered to Raine, who was wiggling her own toes. She nodded.  
  
"I know, I can't believe the Sarafan took our shoes, the butt-heads. And mine were a new pair to!"  
  
I almost laughed but, I felt as though someone was watching me. I turned and, met amber eyes that seemed to burn me from the inside out. It was the vampire with a green half cape, what had Raine called him? Turel?  
  
I looked him over, I couldn't help it! The thought that this handsome vampire had become a slavering beast, possessed by the Hylden . . . I shuddered and mourned the loss to females everywhere.  
  
Raziel appeared next to us, from his place by Kain's throne. They had apparently been conversing. I watched Kain stalk out and couldn't help but drool slightly.  
  
"I will escort you back to your room, you still need to recover."  
  
I closed my mouth nodding, and followed as he led us back down the winding corridors that made up Kain's clan hold.  
  
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AN: Okay! Next chapter is all Raine! Please review! 


	3. Nice clothes and Nausea

AN: Raine's POV this time, and, yes, the romance will come . . . eventually.  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned Legacy of Kain, I'd be a playable character with kick ass powers. W00T! #######################################################################  
  
I thanked Raziel for escorting us and shut the door. Kale was glaring into space.  
  
"We're screwed." I announced, rubbing my eyes tiredly, as the first hint of dawn painted the sky outside our small window.  
  
My friend focused on me her glare becoming a frown of confusion.  
  
"How's that? From what I heard the vampires have things pretty much under control but . . ." She stopped, and I wondered if she had picked up what I had.  
  
"It was Zephon wasn't it?" I asked and she bit her lip.  
  
"The one in the gray." I clarified. She nodded.  
  
"His report was a little too pat, his notes on Sarafan patrols too exact. It's like he's being given information, or faking it." She raised her thumbnail to her mouth, clicking it against her teeth. I nodded in agreement.  
  
"His posture was practically screaming, 'I'm smarter then all of you and only I know why.' I think the others put it down to his usual arrogance." She growled, and I raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I wish I could have played the Blood Omen games." I snorted.  
  
"Kale, You've played half of Soul Reaver two, know the PLOT of both Soul Reavers, and you've beaten Defiance!" She snerked, what she called a really weird sound between a snicker and a snort, a sound that I'd only ever heard HER make.  
  
"Yes but if I'd played Blood Omen one and two I'd know more about The sarafan." I raised an eyebrow and smirked, I decided to tweak her a little.  
  
"Thinking of going after Moebius?" She looked at me disbelieveingly.  
  
"What on Earth-?"  
  
"You want to know more about HIM don't you?" She laughed and mimed a whack at my head.  
  
"Poor Turel, he'll be SO disappointed." She blinked and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"What in the Hunt God's name are you talking about?" My grin was nothing short of Cheshire proportions.  
  
"He was looking at you like you are the first girl he'd seen in centuries!" I giggled as her face turned pale pink. I knew I'd hit on something there.  
  
"You think he's cute, don't you!" I asked and leaned forward eagerly. She raised her chin, her blush receding, and smirked slightly.  
  
"Oh really? What about our dear Raziel? I saw you drooling." I could feel my face turn a scorching red and damned my fair complexion to the deepest pits of hell. She chuckled and stood up to look out the window.  
  
"I don't blame you, he is attractive, but for some reason, I just don't, FEEL anything." I looked at her, surprised.  
  
"Really? Are you sure? I thought . . ." Her eyes were fixed on the window, as if its surface would give her the answer. I turned to pull down the covers on my bed, noting with interest that both had been made.  
  
"So did I, but the more I look, the more I realize, Yes, he's attractive, but to me, he'll never be MORE then that." She sighed and I turned to look at her.  
  
She had taken off her glasses to rub her eyes and I recognized signs of fatigue. I cleared my throat and she turned to me, head cocked.  
  
"Why don't we get some sleep? That was a long meeting." He pony tail waved as she nodded vigorously.  
  
"And we had to stand through it! By the goddess, I thought I was going to have to ask someone to carry me." I smirked.  
  
"I bet Turel would have offered in a heartbeat." Kale glared at me and after a moment of thought decided to leave her hair up.  
  
"Why not take it out?" She slid under the covers of her bed and sighed.  
  
"You know I never let my hair down when there's others around." I nodded; secretly upset. I'd only seen her with her hair down once, and only for a brief second before she'd put it up. She placed her glasses under her pillow and snuggled down into the thick soft blankets.  
  
I looked at her, and realized, that in all the world, there was no one I'd rather be stranded with.  
  
"Kale?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Never mind. Good night."  
  
"Good night Raine. Goddess bless."  
  
I slid under my own covers and rolled over; hoping sleep would come quickly.  
  
%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$%$  
  
I was awakened by a scuffle going on, on the floor. The setting sun was wandering through the window, illuminating a scene that, had we been in OUR world, I'm sure would have been hilariously funny.  
  
"Kale?! What on EARTH?!"  
  
She looked up from where she had managed to pin a clearly frightened boy.  
  
"He snuck into our rooms and when I asked what he was doing he tried to run!" her glasses were slightly skewed, but not broken. The boy whimpered and struggled faintly, causing Kale to rest more of her weight on him.  
  
"Well boy? What WERE you doing?" I raised an eyebrow and pursed my lips.  
  
"I-I-I was here t-to bring c-cl-clothes." His stutter was most likely caused from the glare that Kale was shooting him.  
  
"Oh? Is that so? Then why'd you try to run off?" He looked around as if expecting rescue, when none was forthcoming he took a deep breath.  
  
"You . . . you scared Me." he looked angry and ashamed as if he'd committed a cardinal sin. I was utterly confused, then Kale started laughing. I frowned.  
  
"What's so funny?" She let the young boy up and sat, still laughing. He was glaring at her looking angry as only the young can.  
  
"He was scared of a girl and he WORKS for Vampires!" I noticed that the boy looked close to storming out, so I resorted to my only weapon. I hit her upside the head.  
  
Ignoring her "Ow!" of pain, I turned to him.  
  
"What's your name?" He pouted petulantly.  
  
"Eric." I warmed to him immediately, I couldn't help it, he reminded me so much of my little brother.  
  
"Well, Eric, How old are you?" I had to hide a smile as his chest puffed up.  
  
"I'll be twelve in a week!" I could see Kale staring at him, and in truth I was having a hard time believing him to. He was tall his age, about five feet. Kale was only 5'5" and she was nineteen. As a matter of fact, everyone was tall. Raziel himself was six feet. I shook my head. It had to be something in the air.  
  
"Well, that's a good thing, be sure and let us know the day before so we remember." I turned to Kale as she spoke, my eyebrows going up. She shrugged, looking a little sheepish, and I knew she felt bad about teasing the boy.  
  
"Eric!" All three of us turned to face the door, where a girl who seemed to be no more then fourteen, stood, looking rather pissed.  
  
"The Lieutenants will be waking soon and you promised to help set the table!" Eric looked panicked and ran out calling a quick goodbye over his shoulder as he squeezed past what HAD to be a relative of some kind. She rolled her eyes as if to say 'Boys'.  
  
"I'm sorry if my brother bothered you. He was just supposed to leave the clothes, but he's a curious little rat." Kale snorted.  
  
"S'aright. We don't mind really." The girl nodded then something caught her eye out in the hall.  
  
"ROBIN! What are you DOING?!" And she was gone, as quick as she came. I turned to Kale.  
  
"Well, we're not the only humans here at least." Kale nodded, looking thoughtful.  
  
"Yeah, but she talked about setting the table. I'm just wondering what's for breakfast." I blinked. I knew they would drink blood of course, and so did she. But what else would there be? Did they actually eat human food? Or were we going to be treated to the sight of roast Sarafan?  
  
We looked at each other the same picture floating in our minds, roasted human, being cut up into little pieces and eaten. I gagged slightly and Kale had gone very pale, quite an achievement with HER rosy cheeks.  
  
I pushed the covers off and padded over to what kale had correctly assumed was a table when we'd first awoken. The "clothes" were placed upon it, neatly folded. But there was no mistaking what they were. I heard Kale stand up and felt her look over my shoulder.  
  
"No way in hell." I peered at her, she shook her head, jaw stubbornly set.  
  
"Nuh-uh."  
  
"Come on Kale. It's not THAT bad."  
  
"I am NOT wearing a dress."  
  
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AN: Yay! Third chappie . . . I need more reviews . . . Review! pweeeeeeeeeeeease? 


	4. Breakfast and Bastards

AN: The answers you've been waiting for. Oh and girl talk, if you're mature enough to know about bras and leg hair and not go ew that's a good thing.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own. I'd be rich if I did.  
  
Shark: I'm glad you like it, and I hope the answer will satisfy you.  
  
Chibi Lunnie: Yay! I hope you'll like this one as well, I try hard to please. =^_^=  
  
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"Come on Kale, be reasonable." I shook my head.  
  
"No." Raine glared.  
  
"Give me a good reason why you shouldn't." I could tell I was wearing at her patience quicker then usual and ascribed it to low blood sugar.  
  
"Two words. Cactus legs." She threw her hands in the air with a growl of exasperation.  
  
"Fine! Go out there in dirty, stained clothes that reek of old blood and fear and sweat and God knows WHAT else, while the vampire's sit there in their finest and look at you like you're a bug!" I raised my eyebrow. She was hungry, no doubt about it. She'd only had an outburst like that once before, at a sleepover; her little brother had eaten all the cereal and there was nothing for breakfast so she had to wait till we could go grab something at IHOP . . . I missed IHOP.  
  
"I want pancakes." She blinked mouth working.  
  
"What brought THAT on?" I shook my head.  
  
"Don't ask." I glared at the offending article and growled. It seemed to smirk at me. I blinked and groaned. Now I was hallucinating, we really needed to eat. Raine looked at me and delivered the final blow.  
  
"What would Kain say?" I snarled and grabbed the dress storming over to the other side of the room to change. As I slipped it over my head I noticed something.  
  
"Raine, my bra straps are gonna show . . ."  
  
"Then don't wear it." Again, my mouth ran away without my brain.  
  
"But you said I had to." She snarled and I bit my lip to keep from laughing and making it worse.  
  
"You KNOW what I mean Kale!" I sighed, I really didn't feel comfortable without a bra but . . . it was either no bra or look tacky, and the sportsbra didn't really match he dress anyway. I shuffled around a bit and got it off then realized something. My hair felt clean and the hair on my legs and underarms was gone.  
  
"The hell-?!" from Raine's reaction apparently the same thing had happened to her. I gasped, as the dress, changed, is the only word for it. It became more flattering and the shade changed to a lighter pine green. I turned to draw Raine's attention to it and gawked. Her dress had changed as well, it was form fitting now, and sleeveless.  
  
"How-?"  
  
"I don't know . . ." There was a knock at the door and the girl from before came in.  
  
"Ah good! They work on you to. We weren't sure Bianca's spells would work on outlanders." I blinked and looked at Raine, who looked at me.  
  
"Bianca?" Raine prompted. The girl slapped her forehead.  
  
"Oh yeah! You haven't met her yet. She's a mage, like lieutenant Turel. But she specializes in cleaning magics." Raine looked as confused as I felt.  
  
"For instance?" The younger girl grinned.  
  
"Well we obviously can't have water everywhere for baths, so Bianca puts a spell on all our clothes that acts as a cleaner so we don't knock out the vampires with our stench." She chuckled at that and I found myself joining her.  
  
"Since we didn't know your size she put a fitting spell on the dresses, so now we know what size to make them, and what colors to use." I held up a hand, and cleared my throat.  
  
"I'd like pants next time . . . please?" She blinked.  
  
"Why?" I shrugged, rather embarrassed.  
  
"Well I kind of want to explore, but doing it in a dress isn't the easiest thing in the world." She nodded understandingly.  
  
"What's your name anyway?" Raine asked. She curtseyed.  
  
"I'm Alexis. I help with keeping the rooms clean." I smiled, then something occurred to me.  
  
"What do we do for food besides breakfast?"  
  
"Well we usually serve dinner but we don't serve meals at mid day so you'll have to fend for yourselves then, but if you go to the kitchen Maro will give you some grub." She winked conspiratorially and motioned us to follow her, leading us down a winding maze of corridors. I tried to keep a map in my head, but directions were never my thing, I just became even more confused and decided to give up. Then we passed a room with the door open. I stopped, enraptured.  
  
"Can we go there instead?" I asked pointing. Alexis shook her head. I did my famous puppy-dog eyes and pouted. Our guide snickered and shook her head again.  
  
"I'm afraid not. Those are lieutenant Rahab's rooms." I whimpered. Shelf after shelf of books, all there, all waiting to be read, and I was denied access. Raine laughed and patted my shoulder.  
  
"Poor little Kale. Now come on. I'm hungry." I 'hmpfed' and followed after muttering about the unfairness of the universe. We came to double doors, normal sized. No where NEAR the gargantuan proportions of the doors to the courtyard with the pillars, yet still sizable.  
  
"Here's where I leave you, Maro's going to want help in the Kitchen and he doesn't like to be kept waiting." She sprinted back the way we'd come.  
  
"Neither does Kain." I muttered eyeing the doors nervously I straightened my glasses and pulled one door open, motioning Raine to go in ahead of me.  
  
"After You milady." She rolled her eyes.  
  
"Coward."  
  
"Of course." I followed and was glad I'd made her go first. All seven vampires staring, is . . . uncomfortable, to say the least. And Raine was bearing the brunt of it, then she grinned over her shoulder at me and strode toward the table. I blinked and looked at it again, ignoring the vampires. There were only two seats free, one, on Raziel's right, and one to the left of . . .  
  
I felt my eyes widen, and my toes curled in my socks. I followed closely after but didn't dare run. I now regretted being a coward. Fate usually has a way of making you face your fears. Raziel stood, and pulled out the chair for her, she thanked him and sat. The very picture of a proper lady. I gulped as Turel pulled out my chair, I sat, ignoring the vampire on my right.  
  
"Thank you Turel." He nodded and sat back down.  
  
"You, are late." I resisted the urge to wince. Raine was staring into Raziel's eyes and either hadn't noticed my predicament, or was ignoring it, nodding over something he was saying to her. For once my mouth ran its response through my brain, which allowed me to be semi polite.  
  
"A woman's prerogative, Lord Kain." There was a rumble of laughter from the vampire to Turel's left; his purple half cape marked him as Dumah. The SR I plot had described him, as overconfident, a warrior, with little use for brains.  
  
"She has you there, Father." He remarked, before drinking from a pewter goblet in front of him. I assumed that it was filled with blood, and my suspicion was confirmed when it sloshed as he slammed it back down. He would definitely have been more at home with the Vikings, and the gaze I met at the other end of the table seemed to think the same thing, only in nastier terms.  
  
"Dumah, you embarrass yourself in front of our guests." The voice was slick, oily and generally unpleasant. I had to resist the urge to shudder even though I was looking right at him.  
  
Zephon, the schemer, the evilly cunning one . . . the spider. I wanted to turn away, break the gaze, but I was stuck. And deep down I knew, somehow, that if I did move . . . I would be fair game. Suddenly he winced and snarled at the Vampire next to him, A bald one, in Yellow . . . What was his name? I was sure that I'd known it once upon a time.  
  
"Melchiah."  
  
"Bless you."  
  
"That is his name."  
  
" Oh! Thank- . . . get OUT of my MIND!"  
  
I glared at Kain, who sat smirking smugly, and I had the almost overwhelming urge to punch him. I would have if someone had not set a plate down in front of me at that moment. The familiar aroma wafted up to my nose, and I squealed. I heard Raine do the same, I looked up and our eyes met. She grinned.  
  
"Well you SAID you wanted pancakes." I felt myself blush and smiled sheepishly.  
  
"I know, but it was a GOOD wish!" I looked over at what had been set down in front of Turel and nearly gagged, almost loosing all my appetite. On his plate was a piece of meat so rare that there was still blood trickling out of it. I didn't want to know if it was human or animal.  
  
"I could tell you." The smirk had turned into a superior smile that made me want to crack my plate over his head and stuff the pancakes down his pants.  
  
"YOU-!" Raine made calm down gestures and I began to count to fifty as I ate.  
  
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AN: Be careful what you wish for. Hah. I wish for more reviews! (Watch me get a load of flames) Oh well they'll be helpful as critiques. Pweeeaaaase review! =^_^= It was probably a bit confusing so here's a kind of seating list.  
  
The table is slightly rectangular. As you come in through the doors you see the backs of Raziel and Rahab. Raine's chair is between the two, To Raziel's left is Kain, by himself. On his right are Kale's chair, Turel and Dumah, in that order. The remaining edge is Melchiah and Zephon's side.  
  
Next chapter: The girls get MORE clothes and go exploring! Will the Sarafan make another appearance? Dun-Dun-Dun! And Protective!Raziel. I know I promised romance, it's getting there! 


	5. Close Calls and near confessions

AN: Chapter five . . . and still . . . no more reviews . . .*cry cry*  
  
Disclaimer: Oh, must I admit I don't own the coolest Game saga next to FF? *sigh* I don't own it . . . there . . . I've said it.  
  
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I silently cursed Kale as she forced me to go first, my eyes sweeping the table wondering where I was supposed to sit. The I realized that there were only two available seats, and if I took the first one, I could have my revenge on Kale, and be discreet about it! I grinned at her and strode towards the chair between Raziel and Rahab. I managed not to blush as Raziel pulled out my chair like a gentleman and it took all I had not to laugh as Kale sat, looking like she was about to be led to her execution.  
  
"After breakfast Dumah has offered to take you out to see some of his territory, is that alright with you?" I nodded trying not to drown in his eyes. A sudden guffaw startled me.  
  
"She has you there Father." I found that it was Dumah, looking as large and loud as ever. He gulped from a pewter goblet and I peeked over into Raziel's. My eyes bugged as I realized it was blood in there. I missed what was next said but when I looked over at Kale she was in a staring contest with Zephon! I gulped as then tension mounted and snuck a look at the other Vampires.  
  
Turel looked rather apathetic, but Dumah looked fit to challenge his brother to a duel. Rahab was looking at Kain. I peered at Raziel, who seemed rather tense then followed Rahab's gaze. Kain's face was stony and I glanced at Melchiah, next to Zephon, who rolled his eyes and elbowed his brother, forcing him to break eye contact. There seems to be an almost audible sigh of relief around the table, as Dumah smirked and settled back down.  
  
"Melchiah." I raised an eyebrow and looked at Kain who was smirking at Kale.  
  
"Bless you." The elder Vampire snorted.  
  
"That is his name." I blinked. WHAT was he talking about?  
  
"Oh! Thank- . . . get OUT of my MIND!" I winced, so THAT was it. A plate was set down in front of me and looked down at it, expecting something gothic and odd. I WASN'T expecting what I got. I'm ashamed to admit that I squealed like a little girl over a pony . . . but it was PANCAKES! I grinned at Kale who was drooling fit to cover the table.  
  
"Well you SAID you wanted Pancakes." She grinned blushing a little.  
  
"I know but it was a GOOD wish!" I looked over as a server set down a plate in front of Raziel and my stomach turned. It was pink . . .like muscle and bloody, I could swear there were nerves sticking out. I choked back a gag  
  
"YOU-!" I waved my hands at Kale willing her to calm down, whatever Kain had said, her reacting the violent way she looked about to, wouldn't help. She growled and tore into her pancake and I remembered what Raziel had said earlier.  
  
"Wait, I thought you guys were fighting with the Sarafan?"  
  
"We are, but they don't dare travel at night, so that's when most of the activity is." I nodded. It made good sense. At least . . . as much sense as anything made anymore. I glanced over at Kale, she seemed a lot calmer.  
  
"I wonder what would happen if I wished for a pizza," I mock growled at her, and swallowed the bit of pancake I was eating.  
  
"Don't you DARE! We'd probably end up with a plaza." She snerked then pointed her fork at me.  
  
"Look who's talking! YOU'RE the one who made 'There's turkey in the freezer' into 'We're gonna fry the old Geezer.'" I blushed and laughed along with her. When we stopped I could've sworn I heard crickets chirping. Kale and I looked around and all the vampires were just . . . STARING at us.  
  
Except for Dumah, I looked over at him and nearly lost what breakfast I'd eaten. He was ripping into the meat, little chunks were flying everywhere, and blood was spattering the tablecloth.  
  
"Um . . .Dumah, darling." He looked up startled a scrap of skin hanging from his teeth. Kale gulped, pushed her glasses up and continued.  
  
"Chew with your mouth closed . . . Please?"  
  
LATER THAT EVENING  
  
Eric dropped us off at the front gate then scampered back inside. Kale was dancing around happily in her new pants and tunic.  
  
"WH00TY! I am-Awp!" I looked at her after she'd finished falling down the stairs.  
  
"Feeling better Hon?" Her hand came up in a distinctly rude gesture.  
  
"We should be going." I eeped and whirled, my foot slipping. I closed my eyes expecting to follow Kale down but a three clawed hand caught me, and I found myself face to chest with Dumah.  
  
"Dumah and Ra-aine! Sittin in a tree!"  
  
"KALE!!"  
  
IN SOME PART OF DUMAH'S TERRITORY  
  
I looked down at the village brimming with life and activity, lights shone from every window and I could hear the far away sounds of a market.  
  
"Come on! I wanna get a closer look!" And without another word she zoomed down the hill.  
  
"Kale! Get BACK here!" I ran after her, but a root decided to impede my progress, luckily I was faster in the air and when I hit her, the ground caught us with surprising ease. Not to be left out momentum delivered us right into the arms of a tree.  
  
"Ow . . ."  
  
"Raine . . . I lost my glasses."  
  
" . . . Grrr. . ."  
  
"Kale . . . Was that you?"  
  
"I thought it was YOU. . ." I looked at her and she looked in my general direction. And we both had the same thought.  
  
"DUMAH!! HEEELLLLLP!!" I felt huge paws grab me and claws dug into my arms as the looming thing shook me like a terrier with rat. Then it was only one hand, banging me against the ground. My only thought was,  
  
'I'm going to die looking like a walking poster for a boy band song . . .'  
  
Suddenly I was flying through the air for the second time in one night. This time however my rescuer was more gentle then Terra Firma.  
  
"Are you alright?!" I blinked.  
  
"Raziel?! What are YOU doing here?"  
  
"HOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLYYYYYY COOOOOOOOOWWWWW!" I felt something whoosh over our heads and heard it land with a sickening crack behind us.  
  
"I . . . Think I broke something . . ."  
  
"Kale!"  
  
I scrambled out of Raziel's arms and rushed over to her, wincing as I saw her arm twisted at an odd angle. Something shrieked behind us and Kale looked up at me.  
  
"Come on girl! Don't ow . . . Leave me hanging! What's going on?" I looked behind us to see the creature limping trying to fight off both Dumah and Raziel; it didn't stand a chance.  
  
"I think it stepped on your glasses. . ."  
  
"Not AGAIN!"  
  
DOWN AT THE VILLAGE  
  
Kale lay on the table unconscious, the midwife had just finished setting the arm, commenting on how lucky she was it was a clean break. Raziel was in the other room with Dumah. I could hear raised voices but I REALLY didn't want to know . . . but Kale had always accused me of being to cat like for my own good sometimes. Talk about the pot calling the kettle tarnished! I crept over to the door and pressed my ear to it.  
  
"They could have been KILLED!"  
  
"No, I was there."  
  
"Yes but you didn't stop it before it got to them."  
  
"I still could have killed it alone. Why did you come anyway?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
"Raine?" I turned, Kale was trying to sit up, and I walked over and pushed her back down.  
  
"Where are we?"  
  
"The Midwife's house. She doubles as healer for the village." Kale winced.  
  
"Wonderful. What did I break this time? I don't remember much past Dumah picking me up. It hurt a lot."  
  
"You broke your arm." She winced.  
  
"Man, why is it always ME?" She paused for a moment and then looked at me hopefully.  
  
"I don't suppose my glasses made it?" I shook my head smiling slightly.  
  
She sighed her ponytail hanging off the edge of the table.  
  
"S'not fair." I laughed and she stuck her tongue out at me. The door behind us creaked open and out came two very grumpy looking vampires.  
  
"You sound merry for people who nearly got killed." Kale raised an eyebrow and craned her neck to get a better look.  
  
"You sound cheerful Raz." He growled and I held up a hand to forestall any outbursts. He snarled and stormed out.  
  
"What's HIS problem?" I shrugged.  
  
"Go ask him!"  
  
"WHAT?!" She grinned at me, rather disconcerting with her slightly unfocused eyes.  
  
"Go talk to him. Otherwise I'll tell him about that stash of fan art you have at home." I rolled my eyes.  
  
"Like he'd believe you." But I headed for the door anyway. I found him on the small porch that over looked the main square watching the people jostle and bargain with each other, nodding back to those who waved.  
  
"Hey, You okay?" He ignored me. I don't take kindly to that, so I retaliated. I pulled his hair. He whirled on me baring fang. I flicked his nose.  
  
"Stop that!" I grinned triumphantly.  
  
"Ha!" He glared, lip twitching. I raised an eyebrow; he gave in and smiled.  
  
"That's better. Now what's bugging you?"  
  
"What?" I sighed, apparently slang only went SO far.  
  
"What's wrong?" He frowned again.  
  
"You could have died." I nodded, it HAD occurred to me, as we had entered the outskirts of the town. I would never admit it, but it had been that knowledge, that fear, that had made my legs give out, not the pain from my bruises.  
  
"Yes, but we didn't." He growls again.  
  
"That's not the point!" It was my turn to frown.  
  
"What are you talking about?" I found myself drowning again, lost in amber depths.  
  
"I-"  
  
"SWEET MOTHER EARTH!!! THE PAAAAIIIN!" I clench my teeth as he pulls away, and storm back into the house, murder on my mind.  
  
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AN: yes I know, more humor then last time but I just can't be serious for long periods. It's one of my shortcomings. Who DID do that song anyway? Black and Blue was it? N*SYNC? Backstreet Boys? Anyone who knows please inform me. What was Kale screaming about? Just what WAS that thing that attacked them? (What will Kain do when he finds out what happens?)  
  
FIND OUT NEXT TIME! (And pretty, pretty, pretty PLEASE review!!!) 


	6. Fractures and Fires

AN: Well, well. Chapter six already? My how time does fly.  
  
Disclaimer: MUST I go through the torture again?! I . . . I DON'T own . . . Legacy of Kain *sobs uncontrollably*  
  
Fallen Paladin Shadow: . . . I love you. The longest review ever for me! Wheeee! Thank you! =^_^=  
  
LadyJanos265: I'm glad you approve! And Turel . . . well . . . you'll have to wait and find out. =^_^=  
  
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I watched the blur of Raine go out after Raziel's blur and smiled. Those two were so cute! I felt Dumah staring at me and turned towards his smudged figure.  
  
"What? Do I have something on my face?" He stalked over. And loomed over me, making me rather nervous.  
  
"You are very, quiet for one whose arm has been so messily broken." I sat up, careful to keep my arm as still as possible. There was nothing besides a few manageable twinges.  
  
"Well I'm not about to wave it around. If it don't hurt, don't mess with it." He glared and poked it, hard.  
  
"SWEET MOTHER EARTH!! THE PAIN!" I brought my arm up to my chest in an automatic reaction yelping as it brought more pain.  
  
"So it has not lost feeling, that is good."  
  
"Of course it's good vampire, I know my job." I looked over at the little blur that seemed to be an old lady, probably the midwife, who'd appeared from one of the other rooms.  
  
"Kale what on EARTH are you bellowing about?" a blonde blur stood framed in the doorway, arms akimbo. I pointed at Dumah's less blurry physique.  
  
"He poked me!" I realized as I said it that it sounded ridiculous, but it was all true! He HAD poked me, and it had HURT! I could feel Raine roll her eyes before she moved over to Dumah.  
  
"Did you poke her?"  
  
"Yes." There was a meaty thud that sounded like a boot connecting with a shin and Dumah took a step back growling.  
  
"What do you think you're doing human?" Raine put her hands on her hips and snorted.  
  
"Don't get all High and Mighty with ME mister! My friend's injured and I find out YOU made it worse! If I thought I could, I'd kick your ass from here to the Sarafan stronghold!" I blinked looking at the two blurry figures facing off.  
  
"Man I bet if I had my glasses on this would make the coolest picture . . ." From the movement of the two in front of me and the slight shift in my peripheral I knew I was the focus of three sets of eyes, two human one vampire.  
  
"What do you mean?" I twitched. Make that two of each.  
  
"I'm a doodler Raz, I draw." I turned to say more but was interrupted by screams. The room emptied quickly leaving me alone.  
  
"Hey! Wait!" I knew it was no good, but my very nature cried out at being left behind. I swung my legs over the side of the table, clenching my teeth on a yelp as my arm was jostled. The room was a blur of browns until I saw the open door, which was an odd mix of dark and orange. Then it dawned on me WHY there was orange.  
  
"The town's on fire!" In my haste to get out and help I forgot my newest injury and my left shoulder banged into the door. I fell to my knees, magma racing down my arm, bursts of light blinding me. My scream was swallowed by the cries of the villagers, their running figures blurring together, swirling. I was dizzy so dizzy, whatever drug the midwife had given was wearing off and I felt all my bruises from my harsh landing, and my arm was one huge lance of pain.  
  
"HELP! SOMEBODY!" I lifted my head in time to see a blur of silver cut down a dark brown blotch, dark red streaks flying away, highlighted by the fire light. Even without my glasses I knew a massacre when I saw one. My legs were to weak to carry me, so I crawled, using my good arm as a third leg.  
  
"Crapcrapcrapcrapcrap . . . What do I do?" The fires were everywhere casting odd shadows and giving a surreal air to the slaughter I knew surrounded me.  
  
"KALE! KALE WHERE ARE YOU?!" I stopped moving and straightened up, I could hear Raine, but I couldn't make out where her voice was coming from with all the noise. I had never understood the expression "Roaring fire" until now. It was incredibly loud howling like a wild thing. The screams of the hunted villagers rang in my ears.  
  
"I'm here!" I shouted my voice hoarse from pain and the smoke.  
  
"I heard her! She's over there!"  
  
"You're hearing things! She's gone with the old woman's house!" It was Dumah, they were very close but I couldn't see them, my eyes were watering rendering my already blurry vision completely useless.  
  
"Raine! I'm here! RAINE!" I struggled to stand but my legs gave out and I fell, crying out as my outstretched right arm hit the packed earth, knocking me off balance to fall on my wounded left.  
  
"Let me GO! I KNOW she's there! We can't leave her!"  
  
"I thought I heard her as well." An angered snarl cut off Raziel's half shout.  
  
"You're both delirious! There's nothing we can do here, come ON!" And they were gone, only screams remained.  
  
"No!" I hardly noticed the tears trickling down my cheeks.  
  
"No . . ."  
  
"Here! I've found another one!" A rough hand grabbed my shoulder and hauled me up.  
  
"Let's get a move on before the Sarafan come back to loot." I looked around bewildered but there were merely blurs of darkness and strong hands guiding me out into the darkness.  
  
"Are you alright dear?" I recognized the voice as the midwife's.  
  
"You're alive?!" Her laughter was bitter.  
  
"Of course child. You learn to survive times like these. Now, I take your arm is acting up." I stifled a hysterical giggle.  
  
"That's one way of putting it." The hands left my shoulders and I turned to look, running into a tree.  
  
"Odin girl! Are you blind?" The hands came back and steered me somewhat to the right.  
  
"Very nearly." I replied, concentrating on putting one booted foot in front of the other, admiring the leather, trying to think of anything, except how badly I wished it was Raine I was exchanging banter with.  
  
"Chew on this." A plant of some kind was pressed into my hand. I brought it up to my face squinting as I looked at its unfamiliar pattern.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Something to numb the pain, but just because it doesn't hurt doesn't mean it's healed so be careful." I managed a weak smile, she sounded somewhat like my mom, and popped the plant into my mouth chewing hesitantly. I gagged at its bitter taste and kept from spitting it out by sheer will alone.  
  
"Where do you hail from?" The voice was new; it didn't belong to the hands, or the midwife.  
  
"Nowhere near here, but I'm staying at K-" I hastily revised my word choice.  
  
"Lord Kain's Clan hold." There was silence then hushed whispers. I caught only pieces, which made little sense in my state, slowly the plant in my mouth lost it's bitter flavor, and the agony in my arm decreased, till I felt almost normal, if a bit light headed.  
  
"Should return . . ."  
  
"Help . . . but . . ."  
  
"Why? They don't . . ."  
  
"Lies. Rahab . . ."  
  
"Zephon . . .refuse . . ."  
  
"That's not the point!" The Midwife's voice rang loud and clear.  
  
"What could THEY have done against fire? How would them burning to death stop the Sarafan? No, they do what they can, and so should we." There were a few embarrassed mutterings. I opened my mouth to thank her but what came out was nothing sane.  
  
"Go monkey go! Mo-jo Jo-jo!" I clapped my right hand over my mouth eyes wide. The midwife chuckled.  
  
"Oh my, so you're one of THOSE are you?" I attempted to ask just WHAT I was.  
  
"Peanut butter jelly! Peanut butter Jell-" I clenched my mouth shut and didn't dare open it again. But the old woman took pity on me as the hands on my shoulder turned me a bit to the left.  
  
"The herb has a few side effects in some people they pass out, in others it just makes them exceedingly cheerful. In a few rare cases it causes them to loose control of their speech." I sagged. And a worn hand patted my unwounded shoulder.  
  
"As long as you don't open your mouth you'll be fine." I groaned. First no sight, and now no speech. Wonderful.  
  
"We're here." The hands on my shoulder tightened slightly.  
  
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AN: Evil yes I know. Please review! In the next chapter:  
  
What lengths will Raine go too to find her friend? How will the others react to the news of the fire? IS there a conspiracy within the brethren? And WHY is Zephon sneaking off? FIND OUT NEXT TIME! 


	7. Running and Revelations

AN: Oh me oh my, Raine is NOT a happy camper.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own it. I wish I did. Then I'd have ALL the Dark Chronicles on a CD for me to watch OVER and OVER and OVER! =^_^=  
  
Lunatic Pandora1: I'm sorry it confuses you, I try to be clear but I don't always succeed, sorry. ^_^;;  
  
Fallen Paladin Shadow: Patience is a virtue! Heh heh heh.  
  
LadyJanos265: Not planning on stopping anytime soon. =^_^=  
  
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Dumah grunted and heaved me over his shoulder.  
  
"Put me DOWN you BASTARD!" I banged my fists on his back, watching the burning village quickly receded into the distance.  
  
"I said PUT ME DOWN!" I managed to slam my elbow in to the back of his skull. He growled and gently rammed his shoulder into my stomach. Gentle by HIS standards, but it cost me my breath.  
  
"Woman, you are making this difficult on yourself." I snarled and began thrashing in earnest, hitting, scratching, I felt my knee connect, with his chest or ribs I wasn't sure, all I knew was that I HAD to go back, Kale was alive, and I had to find her. Raziel entered my field of vision then; easily keeping pace with Dumah's long legged strides.  
  
"The Sarafan are still there, what if you return and are killed, or captured? What good have you done her then if she IS alive?" I wanted to yell at him, tell him I didn't care. But he was right, if I went back and got myself caught . . . GOD but it sounded like a coward's way out. It WAS a coward's way out but . . . I was too tired to argue. I let myself go limp and felt Dumah pick up speed.  
  
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I stormed through the hallway, dressed in clean breeches, and a navy blue shirt, my braid a familiar weight down my back. Alexis had insisted that I change before 'petitioning' Kain and as much as I disliked it I agreed with her. It may have been more convincing if I'd been smelling of smoke and streaked with soot, but I would have still been slightly hysterical. Changing clothes had given my rage time to become icy determination.  
  
"Mistress Raine, Lord Kain is expecting you." I nodded to the Razieliem, who opened one of the giant doors leading to Kain's throne room. I looked up into the still starry sky. Dumah had made good time, a trip that had taken two hours on the way out, was only half an hour at top Vampiric speed.  
  
". . . so that I and mine may find the bloodthirsty fanatics and leave their carcasses floating in the lake for the rest of their order to find." I walked in just as Dumah finished his petition for aid. Kale would have said something about being on time for once. He returned to his normal place and Kain's eyes fell on me.  
  
"Make your speech woman." I strode to stand in the center of the room glaring at Kain. NOW I could see why Kale always got mad at him, he practically oozed superiority. But I knew I was only trying to distract myself from my stage fright, it was worse then delivering a monologue in front of the entire school . . . what if he didn't help? Or worse . . . didn't care? I shook myself and began.  
  
"Prior to the attack on the village Kale was wounded." Something flashed in the white haired Vampire's eyes; I filed it away for future reference and continued.  
  
"We took her to the village for medical attention, not long afterwards the raid began." I closed my eyes trying not to remember the screams and smoke, plunging on before I could loose my nerve.  
  
"During the attack we lost track of her, and I want to find her." I opened my eyes and took a deep breath, attempting to slow down my speeding heart. The adrenaline was flowing now, my hands had stopped shaking and my voice was as steady as a rock.  
  
"I know she's alive." Turel shifted drawing my gaze over to him, he looked as calm and composed as ever, his posture radiating tranquility.  
  
"I'm not sure we have the necessary resources to spare." I felt my eyes widen, I had thought that he'd LIKED Kale! But it appeared I'd made a false assumption. Rahab coughed.  
  
"That is not entirely true, I have children I may give to aid . . ." he was silenced by an imperious wave of Kain's hand.  
  
"Why do you believe she still lives?" I glared at the elder Vampire and crossed my arms.  
  
"I don't believe. I KNOW. Kale is alive." I looked around the circle of brothers my anger rising.  
  
"And I'll go find her MYSELF if I have to!" I wanted to stomp my foot, but as angry as I was I'd probably just end up hurting myself.  
  
"That will not be necessary." Kain stood cape swishing quietly.  
  
"I will go, Raziel, Dumah with me. The villagers will need help to rebuild." I felt my eyes narrow as I realized my name had NOT been included in that list.  
  
"What about me?"  
  
"You will stay here." My jaw dropped.  
  
"WHAT?! I most certainly will NOT!" Kain glared at me, and it took all my remaining will power not to look away.  
  
"She's my Friend! I won't stay here when she might need help!" He snarled, talons clenching and unclenching.  
  
"You will stay because I SAY you will." I opened my mouth to argue but he stalked out, Dumah on his heels. Raziel shot me a look that made my chest tighten before he to followed Kain. Melchiah patted my shoulder sympathetically.  
  
"Don't worry, they'll find her." I shook my head, finally able to understand what the original Blood Omen Kain had meant by; "The cruel jab of impotent anger". Turel strode by, face stony. Melchiah followed looking back worriedly before hurrying off. Rahab placed a hand on my other shoulder.  
  
"Trust my father. He knows what he is doing." I shrugged his hand off, snarling slightly. He sighed and shook his head walking away. Then I was alone, with Zephon. I don't know what impulse drove me, but I blocked his way as he went to leave.  
  
"Well? Aren't you going to gloat?"  
  
"I do not wished to be disturbed." I blinked and he walked by me, I growled, and went after him.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?"  
  
"I do not wish to be disturbed." I growled and grabbed his arm.  
  
"Don't walk away from . . ." He jerked his arm away and my fingers passed through something that felt akin to cold water, it was gone before I could do more then gasp. I looked down to find my hands covered in a transparent goo, and looked back up to see Zephon stalk out, a hole in his arm filling in.  
  
"Oh my God . . ." I knew then, why Zephon's information had been to perfect, to rehearsed; Zephon was not Zephon, He was a Doppelganger. I watched the goo slide off my hands and land with a plop on the floor.  
  
"But, If he's a fake . . . Where's the real one?" I hurried out to follow the imitation brother. This was important, as long as it and whoever had created it were in the stronghold, we were ALL in danger. As I entered the hallway he was already at the other end of it, and moving fast. My boots slapped the cobbles as I sprinted after him. If he were a construct it would be natural for it to return to its creator. The duplicate Zephon turned another corner, I skidded around it a few moments later and gaped.  
  
"No . . . DA*NIT!" It was a dead end, and the doppelganger was gone. Suddenly a clawed hand clamped over my mouth.  
  
"I told Turel he was getting careless, but he didn't believe me. Well, now I have proof."  
  
"Mppf!"  
  
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AN: Oh deary deary me. Who has Raine? Where is Kale? Will Kain and the others be able to find her? What happened to the Real Zephon?  
  
To find out, Keep reading! And please review, it makes me happy to know people are reading my work. =^_^= 


	8. An Emperor's introspection

AN: I decided to do a little thing from Kain's point of view, maybe if enough people ask, I'll do some for the other brethren. =^_^=  
  
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I know exactly when it happened.  
  
When she first entered my throne room, gazing at the pillars with awe, through circles of glass.  
  
They should have made her eyes look strangely large, but they didn't.  
  
Finally seeing her, haloed by moonlight, the stars reflecting off her . . . what had Rahab called them?  
  
Glasses, yes.  
  
They shielded her eyes, acting as barriers; I could see her hide behind them.  
  
But no one can TRULY hide from me.  
  
Is it any wonder that I touched her mind?  
  
And it got such a wonderful reaction, such a beautiful reaction.  
  
Her eyes flared like burning coals, and I ignored anything she might have said, simply to see it.  
  
It made me feel warm, for the first time in centuries, and I laughed.  
  
Then she seemed to forget it all, or to put it away while she asked for her garment.  
  
She intrigued me; I had to see those eyes flash again, to feel that heat.  
  
I felt anticipation outside of combat, and yet . . .  
  
Wasn't it a battle of sorts?  
  
To feel her anger, her vibrancy, washing through me.  
  
And now, she is gone, lost.  
  
Dead?  
  
Or alive?  
  
I do not know.  
  
But I intend to find out.  
  
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AN: Sorry, it just kind of CAME to me . . . in the middle of Chemistry no less. ^_^;; I don't think my teacher was too happy about that. Don't worry! I should have another chapter up by this weekend.  
  
Review please! 


	9. Slurs and Surprises

AN: yes, We're back, with Kale! Where is she? Will she EVER get another pair of glasses? Do they make contacts in Nosgoth?  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Legacy of Kain, My visions of the brethren have been influenced by the Lovely fan artwork of Chibi J. Visit her Website to see it, good stuff.  
  
Lunatic Pandora1: Yeah I know, sorry, and yep! That was Kain being mushy! Weird huh? =^_^=  
  
LadyJanos265: I aim to surprise and to please! Here's what happens to Kale. =^_^=  
  
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HERE appeared to be a very dark patch in a slightly lighter patch.  
  
"This cave will take you inside the Dumahim stronghold, we can't spare anyone to guide you, so you're on your own. "The hands disappeared, leaving me feeling cold and scarily alone. The midwife snorted.  
  
"And just HOW is she to get through on her own? She's got a broken arm and is near blind!" I nodded in agreement. A frustrated male snort from behind made me jump, but only a little!  
  
"What would you have us do? The sanctuary is a mile away and we need to get the children there as soon as possible, and the Sarafan are STILL out there!" I don't know WHAT possessed me, maybe the bit about the children, but I raised a hand. They both looked at me and I pointed at myself, then to the cave.  
  
"You mean, You WILL go alone?" The aged voice was heavy with incredulity and a little worried. I smiled, wished that my Grandmother were like her, and nodded.  
  
"Girl, You are either very brave, or very foolish." I could hear the others moving off, leaving me alone with the crone and my guide. He clapped my shoulder.  
  
"Alright. The tunnel goes on for a good twenty yards, then there's a chasm, A bridge leads over it. Farther on there's double doors, the room beyond them has a magical device which will take you to the entrance. The Dumahim will take you from there." I nodded again, butterflies danced in my stomach, this was almost as bad as going on stage! A wrinkled hand clasped my uninjured hand.  
  
"Take care young one." Then they too were gone. I was acutely aware of every noise, or, more accurately, the lack thereof, and wished I dared open my mouth to comfort my self. I shook my head and strode into the cave . . . well I strode for about two seconds then I kind off scuttled. It was dark, but here and there were patches of light, probably holes in the ceiling. After a while the, FEEL of the cave . . . changed and I knew I'd reached that chasm.  
  
There was, however, a slight problem. I couldn't see the bridge. I had my doubts it was there, but after much crawling, as I didn't want to step off by accident, I found it. By now my arm was throbbing slightly again and by some experimentation with tongue twisters, I found I had regained control of my speech. The bridge was actually a bit of a shock, being stone. I suppose THAT was what made me complacent. Stone is supposed to be solid, and earthy.  
  
It ISN'T supposed to have holes in it. Unfortunately for me that one did. I stepped over the edge and fell forward, I tried to catch the other end but met with empty air. I hit hard and bit my tongue hard enough for it to bleed. I had landed on a kind of slide and was going down head first. I could just envision myself falling and dying on the rocks, but I scrabbled trying to get myself turned around, in hopes of a semi soft landing. And succeeded just as I was deposited in to water, knee deep.  
  
"Ewwww."  
  
"Who is there?" I whirled around, searching for the source of the voice, my eyes alighting on a pale blotch. In contrast to where I had been before, golden flickers of light were scattered around. My fatigued brain reminded me that they were called torches.  
  
"Who's asking?" There was low growl and the blotch shot forward only to stop a short way from where the blackness of the water ended.  
  
"I would KILL you if I could reach you human!" I sighed. Another vampire. My luck just kept getting better and better.  
  
"I'll be sure and stay out of your reach then." I thought for a moment.  
  
"Who's your creator?"  
  
"What?" The voice was shocked, and somehow familiar. I sighed.  
  
"C'mon! Kain? Vorador? Some long lost son of Janos?" My memory was digging frantically trying to figure out just WHO this guy was.  
  
"Or are you a Dumahim?" There was an angry snarl.  
  
"I am Zephon! Fifth of Kain's Lieutenants!" I sputtered and took a step back, ignoring the water soaking into my new boots.  
  
"B-but you were at the Stronghold! I SAW you!" There was silence and the blur receded a bit.  
  
"You were at Kain's stronghold?" I nodded, knowing he could see it, even if I couldn't see him.  
  
"Can I get out of here with out you killing me?" There was a long pause and I twitched as something brushed against my calf. I spit to empty my mouth and blood tinted saliva landed with a plop in the blurry waters. He growled softly.  
  
"Prove you were truly there and I'll CONSIDER it." I felt like growling myself.  
  
"Exactly WHAT can I tell you that you'll believe? I'm not stupid Zephon, and I'm not going to thrash about for proof JUST for your twisted amusement!" For a few seconds I thought I'd stepped over the line and he'd come kill me, water or no. Then to my surprise his blob backed away further.  
  
"Come nearer, so I can better catch your scent." Hesitantly I took a few steps toward him. He sighed sounding exasperated and a little angry.  
  
"Closer you halfwit!" I stayed where I was and attempted to cross my arms. The dull throb in my left became a knife of pain and I decided to leave it hanging where it was.  
  
"How do I know you won't bite me?" Silence stood between us, waiting for one of us to toss her a scrap of sound. He broke first, his blurred form jerking a little.  
  
"Because I CAN'T bite you." I raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Come and find out human. If you dare." His voice conveyed MORE than a hint of challenge. I glared and slogged towards him. I should have been glad when I was out of the water and on dry land, and I was, but I was also FREEZING!  
  
"Well? I'm-m here." My teeth were chattering like crazy, but that didn't distract me from looking him over . . . or attempting to. His face was still fuzzed out, but at least he no longer looked like "The Blob". And yet, something was odd. There was a sliver shine where his mouth should be.  
  
I sighed, he was TALLER then me! Not much of a surprise really, almost everyone here was. Suddenly a viselike hand grabbed my uninjured wrist and yanked my hand up, placing it one what felt like mesh. I blinked and took a wild guess.  
  
"A m-m-muzzle?" Something slimy probed my fingers and I jerked them away with a yelp.  
  
"Eeeewwww! You LICKED me!" His chuckle was dark and somewhat bitter.  
  
"First taste of live meat I have in months, and it's a little wounded mortal girl, who claims I was somewhere I wasn't." I wiped my hand on my pants, my calves feeling like blocks of ice, I shook them trying to warm them up. I spat off to the side, and felt around in my mouth, the bleeding had almost stopped.  
  
"I'm not-t g-gonna both-ther asking how y-you kn-n-new I was hurt-t." I hissed softly as my legs began to tingle with returning feeling.  
  
"Good, because I don't feel like explaining." I rolled my eyes, he sounded like Raine's ex-boyfriend . . . the jerk.  
  
"Help me get it off." I blinked as my mind dropped that sentence right into the gutter.  
  
"H-huh?" He growled.  
  
"Help me get this THING off me!"  
  
"Wh-why c-c-c-can't you get-t it off-f-f yourself?"  
  
"Because it has some kind of stone, it saps my strength whenever I touch it."  
  
"Ah." So I was dealing with some kind of version of Moebius's staff. No big. I snickered as the thought turned into something lewd inside my head. Then shook it to clear it, and reached up, almost poking his eye out.  
  
"REAVER woman! Are you BLIND?!" His hand grabbed my wrist again and I huffed.  
  
"Well excuse me for not being able to SEE very well!" I jerked my hand away, Cold forgotten as anger rushed through me in a tide of heat.  
  
"You can just KEEP on wearing that muzzle buddy boy!" I turned to storm off but an arm snaked around my stomach and pulled me up against his chest. I snarled and kicked at him.  
  
"Let me GO!"  
  
"Shhh!" His hiss cut through my conscious like a knife and I was suddenly aware of voices.  
  
"I know I heard something down there."  
  
"You sure it wasn't the weakling?"  
  
"I'm sure, it sounded like a girl."  
  
"That sounds nice, haven't had any fun in a while." I felt my eyes go wide, I knew what they meant, and I couldn't stop them. Hell even if I HADN'T been injured I'd still be no match for a Dumahim. I was whirled around, now face to collarbone with Zephon.  
  
"Now, you can either take this off, and I will save you. Or you can be," I could hear the sneering smirk in his voice.  
  
"'Entertainment'. " I bared my teeth, he was EXACTLY like Raine's ex- boyfriend. The bastard.  
  
"Show me where the clasp is."  
  
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AN: Poor Kale! Having to deal with a snarky Zephon, a broken arm, a slightly bleeding tongue, and shortly, Dumahim guards! Tsk tsk. I'm sooooo evil. =^_^=  
  
Review please! 


	10. Tantrums and Time Streamers

AN: Yes I know we all want to see what happens to Kale, but what about poor Raine?  
  
Disclaimer: Oh wow the levels I would add! Wheeee! But I don't own it. *sniff*  
  
Lunatic Pandora1: I hope you don't break out the cardboard tube for this one, sorry it's so late. ^_^;;;  
  
Za: Well It's not going to be finished for quite awhile so you'll have to keep on living. =^_^=  
  
Fallen Paladin Shadow: I know it's late. Does this mean no club? *puppy dog eyes*  
  
LadyJanos265: well if you want to know what happens to Zephon next, you'll have to wait another chapter. Sorry. ^_^;;;  
  
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I reached up to claw at the hand, scrabbling frantically. There was a snarl and I was pressed back into a decidedly female form.  
  
"I could kill you where you stand Human. You're lucky Dumah's support depends on us keeping you alive." I froze, shock overriding every other command my brain was giving. Umah? Umah was plotting against KAIN? Was she NUTS?! Kain would kill her! Like he had . . . before . . . Crap. I tried going limp to increase my weight, then mentally slapped myself as she continued dragging me down another empty corridor. Vampire, Duh!  
  
She hauled me into a room the click of the key turning in the lock sounded like a cell door slamming. Her hand was still clamped firmly over my mouth, forcing me to breathe through my nose; this is why I will forever connect Moebius's appearances to the smell of nursing homes. You know? Like a hospital smell gone horribly wrong. I must have done something because Umah snorted.  
  
"I agree with her. MUST you smell so rank?" The time streamer pulled himself up, and I realized that he wasn't tall at all. He was barely 5' 2". Kale would be pleased . . . If I could find her to tell her.  
  
"I do not know WHAT you are blathering on about Umah." She made an exasperated noise and threw me forward. I am proud to say that I didn't sprawl at his feet . . . but I did trip and land near them, scrambling up once I'd regained the air I'd lost from hitting the flagstones. Memo to me, talk to Kain about carpeting.  
  
"She knows about Zephon. Turel has become a liability." The old man waved a hand dismissively.  
  
"We need him to topple Kain. Besides, she only a human." I ground my teeth. And just what did he think HE was?!  
  
"Hey, Gramps, I don't appreciate being treated like I'm deaf. Dig?" I crossed my arms and glared at him like the cockroach he was. At least I attempted to. But trying to stare down a guy with no pupils is kinda hard. The next minute I was on the floor coughing and aching all over. I blinked tears out my eyes and looked up. The grin on his face was anything but friendly.  
  
"I will make allowances since you are not of this world, but do not expect me to be this generous all the time." I felt like Sara from Labyrinth, so much that I wanted to quote her too. But I didn't.  
  
"That was a weaker spell. They will increase in strength if you continue these transgressions. Do you understand?" I settled on just glaring at him. He seemed to take this as an assent, returning his attention to Umah.  
  
"We need Turel's magic."  
  
"Pah. If she discovered it how long until Kain becomes aware?" I stood up wobbling slightly.  
  
"It is YOUR job to see that does not happen." My gaze landed on the door, the key was still in the lock . . . if I could reach it . . . a wrinkled hand grabbed my wrist and I felt like my stomach was trying to squeeze up through my nose. I closed my eyes trying to compose myself. When I opened them, Umah and the room were gone. And I was alone with one of the most dangerous men in Nosgoth.  
  
"The jumping sickness should wear off eventually."  
  
"You . . . bast-urp!" I closed my mouth and concentrated on not throwing up. His laugh was as evil as I remembered, and I wished in that moment that I could shove his staff up his butt . . . LENGTHWISE. I glared at him.  
  
"Just you wait till, mmf! Kain hears about this. There won't be a hole deep enough for you to hide in." He smiles condescendingly at me.  
  
"My dear, by the time ANYONE hears about this, Kain will be dead, Raziel with him. And I shall be free to exterminate all the remaining monstrosities." I shook my head, the nausea receding. Moebius was nuts, no two ways about it. I'd suspected it, watching Kale play Defiance, but now I knew for sure. Moebius had gone off the deep end.  
  
"Dumah will turn on you, Umah to, and Turel will never stand for it!" He sneered.  
  
"They cannot stop me, they are weak, divided." His grin sent little ice spiders jogging up my spine.  
  
"It is easy to manipulate the simple minded." And then he disappeared. I don't mean slowly faded away disappeared, I mean there then gone disappeared! I finally took the time to look where I was, and was immediately impressed by its lack of a door.  
  
"What the-?!" I looked around again, a bed, a table a chair, and a barred window. No door. I made my way to the window, growling as I banged my legs on the chair. The bars were too close together to let me get more then a hand out, and looking down I realized that even if I did drop anything, I'd be in serious risk of killing the person below me.  
  
"The highest room, in the tallest tower. Moebius, you're sick. Clever, but sick."  
  
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AN: Yes I know, long over due... *bows* Please forgive! I've been so busy with school and crud . . . I'm sorry if it's not good, but writing politics and mutinies is tough, I promise more action and gore in the next chapter. 


	11. Death of Dumah

AN: Okay, okay, hopefully this will be better. There is a little bit of fluff in here . . . if you look chances are you'll spot it.  
  
Lunatic Pandora1: Spare me please! I just needed some time to recapture my inspiration! ^_^;; Don't hurt me . . . Moebius is alive cause what's a LoK fanfic without him? And Umah? Well I wanted her to be a kick-ass villain instead of a whiny butt.  
  
VladimirsAngel: Thankees! =^_^=  
  
LadyJanos265: And here is what happens to Kale. Enjoy! =^_^=  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned it . . . heh heh heh . . .  
  
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I sprinted along the hallway cursing Zephon in my head. Stupid egotistical- ! Couldn't kill them from BEHIND! Noooooooo, that would have been UNSPORTING! Stupid testosterone. I skidded to a halt, wincing as my arm twinged, frowning. Something looked wrong about the path ahead. I cautiously sent a leg to investigate. It was water, shin high water.  
  
"What the Hell?!" The clamor behind me got louder and I slogged out to what appeared to be the middle wincing as my just drying socks got soaked again. I felt a strong current, trying to push me back, and snarled.  
  
"Why is there a mini river in a vampire stronghold?" Suddenly taloned feet slammed into my shoulder-blades, I cried out as I was pushed forward and then down as whoever it was used me to span the distance. Waving my good arm frantically trying to keep my balance I spotted Zephon's blob of paleness.  
  
"Hurry up woman!" I growled and made my way towards him working to keep my footing in the swift current.  
  
"I'd like to see you do better Zephon!" Jerk. I added silently as I made it to the other end, he grabbed my broken arm and pulled forcing a scream out of me.  
  
"I keep you alive because you are useful human. Do not make yourself a burden." I fought back tears of pain and glared till he let go. A thunderclap startled us out of our 'Moment'. We both turned to look and Zephon tensed.  
  
"Raziel! Kain! Look out-!" But the warning came too late; the figure to the left yelled something and hit the middle figure while the figure on the right was besieged by what I surmised were Dumahim. The middle figure fell and a flash of silver informed me that it was Kain, who was down, leaving Raziel in peril. In a flash Zephon's blur was gone, only to reappear fighting with the vampire on the left, who was too big to be anyone BUT Dumah.  
  
"Kain!" I tried to go to them but the ledge held me back, I'd need to climb up to get out, and If I COULD get out how would I help? Then I remembered what I was standing in. I immersed myself in the semi shallow water, allowing it to push me back to the middle and numb my broken arm. Then I hoisted myself out and made for the mass of battling vampires. Whenever the blurs got to close I shook my head sending water droplets spraying, one unlucky vampire was unfortunate enough to be smacked by my ponytail . . . I remember his scream to this day.  
  
Zephon and Dumah's blobs were still fighting one another but Raziel's seemed to be slowing down, I knelt down next to Kain's blur, careful not to touch him.  
  
"Kain? Kain, can you hear me?"  
  
//Yes human, I can hear you. // I swear I jumped a mile.  
  
"Holy-! What the-?" I blinked.  
  
"Are you . . . whispering to me? I thought you could only do that to other Vampires . . ." I hear his sigh rattle around my brain.  
  
//Obviously not, now be quiet and listen to me. Dumah has somehow managed to duplicate the effects of Moebius's staff; I'll need you to feed me. // I scooched back, bumping into the legs of another vampire who screamed as he was hamstrung by the water.  
  
"I'm not gonna let you bite me!"  
  
//How vain you mortals are, why on earth would I want to bite YOU? // My mouth opened and shut, like a fish on dry land. I decided to cut my losses and stood grabbing the darker blur that was the still moaning vampire's cloak, my damp hand singing his flesh, as my knuckles came in contact with his back.  
  
"Fine. BE that way." I dragged it in front of Kain and pushed an arm under the pale silver blob of the Vampire lords head.  
  
//I shall. // I turned away, as the Dumahim's pathetic moans became weak screams that trailed off in a gurgle. It came as a bit of a surprise when I realized, I was smiling slightly, and I wasn't as tense as before . . . I actually felt . . . safe. It was a scary thought.  
  
"VAE VICTUS!" With his battle cry ringing in my ears, I sat down to wait. A few moments later only five of us were standing. Well, upright anyway. Zephon and Raziel seemed to be leaning against eachother, and Dumah, looked like he was an arm's length away from Kain, literally, it looked like his feet were barely touching the ground. I stood wincing as my joints creaked.  
  
"Speak Dumah, I will give you this chance, and this chance only to defend your actions." I shook my head. Kain had to know Dumah would never give up . . . he was too proud, to pig-headed.  
  
"You know I will not father. Give me . . . at least, an honorable death." There was silence for a time. I looked at Kain's fuzzy image, he nodded, once and released the hold he had on the younger Vampire's throat.  
  
"Kneel, my son." The third lieutenant of the vampire resistance, dropped to his knees. I shook my head again, harder. I couldn't watch this. I couldn't. I turned and began heading towards a lighter blur that looked to be an open archway. I heard the Soul Reaver slide out of its sheath once more as I reached the opening, and felt the early dawn chill assault me. I was out in the first rays sunlight when the dull thump of a body hitting the floor came. I looked at the red blur that was the sky.  
  
"Red in the morning, sailors warning . . ."  
  
"Woman! We're leaving." I growled and stomped back in.  
  
"Stop CALLING me that Zephon! I have a NAME!"  
  
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AN: Better? More satisfying? Hopefully this will allow me to avoid the cardboard tube for a while more. =^_^= 


	12. Run Raine! Run!

AN: Yes, yes, we all know that Kale is safe, but what about Raine?  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned it I wouldn't be worrying about getting my grades up to get into college.  
  
LadyJanos265: Yes, Dumah was one of the plotters, I'm sorry. . . You won't hurt me will you? *puppy dog eyes*  
  
Scorpion D: I'm sorry it's so confusing, I try to simplify it but it gets a little jumbled. Sorry! ^_^;;  
  
{[]} Is our special guest talking.  
  
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I looked at the mess I'd made of the room, looking for some way, ANY way to get down.  
  
"This is NUTS! There has to be a door, or a ladder . . .or . . . SOMETHING!" I stomped my foot, wincing as the shock reverberated back up my leg, only fueling my anger.  
  
"Is it to much to ask for a sword? Or . . . special power's like Raziel has when he falls?"  
  
{[Not particularly.]} I jumped.  
  
"WHAT the &#*@!?" That sounded WAY too familiar. . .  
  
{[I can help you escape.]} I frowned, I knew that voice, but where FROM? Suddenly it came to me, the master manipulator. The Elder God . . . or as Kale liked to call him, Bossy Britches. He was offering me a way out, I almost accepted, and then I remembered a sleepover, about three months ago. . .  
  
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"Oh My GOD! What a jerk!"  
  
"I know, evil bastard isn't he? I call him Bossy britches." I snort.  
  
"I can see why!" I watch her expertly maneuver Raziel up the ledges, deftly escaping the Elder God's grasp. She turns and flashes me a grin and thumbs up as the cut scene starts and we switch places.  
  
"So he's been pretending to be a god this whole time? And no one knows but Raz?" She nods, handing me the controller.  
  
"I'm hoping we get to see Moebius's face when he finds out." I think for a moment.  
  
"What exactly is he hoping to achieve?" Kale shrugs and gestures for me to watch out for the enemy hiding behind a wall.  
  
"No clue, but I don't like him, he's a creep, he never gives you anything without somehow trapping you into giving HIM something. Like, Raz for instance, Vengeance for servitude. Not a bad trade right?" I motion for her to continue angling the camera to peer around a corner.  
  
"But then things get complicated. And just when Raz needs time to himself he's got this guy always talking to him, directing his thoughts, like . . . like that teacher, you know? From fifth grade?" I nod in remembrance; she wouldn't let you think for yourself, she led you, force feeding you what she WANTED you to think, and then told you to think for yourself, leaving you frightened, and desperate for leadership. . . HER leadership.  
  
"So He's all confused and this guy isn't helping any, and well . . ." She waves a hand at the screen indicating the entire legacy up to this point. I raise an eyebrow and she seems slightly embarrassed.  
  
"I just don't like him." I smile in agreement.  
  
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"What do you want?" I growled hoping to sound more threatening.  
  
{[To help you, we share a common enemy.]} I sneered, not to attractive, but it felt right.  
  
"Oh REALLY? The only enemy I seem to have is your little dog Moebius." There is silence for a moment and I stand, wincing as my muscles groan in protest. I walk once more to the window and run a hand over the bars.  
  
{[Poor little soul. Kain has clouded your mind; you cannot see him for the beast he truly is.]} I snorted Kain wasn't a beast; he was a king, trapped in fates steely grasp. Forced to sacrifice his son, for the greater good of the world. . . That stopped me. WAS it the greater good? What happened after Raz's soul was trapped inside the Reaver? Did Kain start the circle over again? Leaving Raziel trapped in a malicious wheel, forever repeating his destiny?  
  
{[Now do you see, little soul?]} I blinked, snapping out of my reverie. That JERK had been poking around in my MIND! I now knew why Kale reacted as violently as she did! It was worse then coming back to find someone has been through your room and gone again, it was worse then stepping out of the shower and finding someone looking through the mysteriously open door.  
  
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" I slammed my hands against the bars and swore as pain jumped along my hand. I glared out at the landscape, and then blinked. Something was off; I squinted tilting my head to the side. Almost like a heat mirage I could see a city, overlapping the forest that seemed to stretch for miles around. I whirled around to face the interior of the room, and did it again, THERE! On the far wall! A door! I rushed forward and grabbed the handle. The minute my skin touched it the room melted away to be replaced by a similar one, but with a cityscape and darker walls. I threw open the door as a furious roar echoed around in my head.  
  
"Take THAT Slime-Ball!" I shouted leaping into the hallway surprising an armored guard.  
  
"What the-?!" I turned and sprinted down the hallway ignoring his shouts for me to stop. Piss off bad guy? Check. Escape? Check. Plan? Um . . . no. I skidded around a corner and pulled a Han Solo as I came face to face- plate with what looked like a squad of Sarafan.  
  
"Gaaaahhhhhh!" I ducked into a side passage, pouring on speed as I heard them follow me. I burst through a small door into the morning sunlight, startling a few beggars, who were leaning against the alley walls.  
  
"Sorry!" I whizzed by them diving into a crowded marketplace, letting the multitude push me into a quiet corner next to a Fruit vendor. The wave of Sarafan waded into the crowd, knocking civilians left and right. People scattered screaming; the vendor grabbed my arm and pulled me down underneath her stall, ducking in after me. We stayed there for some time, listening to the crashes and shouts as the search party made its way towards us. Then it suddenly stopped, orders were being barked and the sound of metal hitting ground as the soldiers went who knows where.  
  
"What on-?"  
  
"Shhh!" Life was returning, I could hear people wandering around, righting kicked over carts, helping those injured in the rush and other clean up activities.  
  
"Stay here." The lady peered over the top of her stall, and then stood.  
  
"Marcus!" A voice spoke almost directly above me, causing me to jerk upright, nearly causing me to bang my head.  
  
"I found one." This was spoken in a whisper.  
  
"Are you sure?!"  
  
"Yes, you've heard the rumors, the keep has been overrun. We need to get her to You Know Who, and quickly." They paused, and then continued on in more normal tones.  
  
"You will show her the way?" I grimaced as my leg cramped, stifling a yelp of pain through sheer will power.  
  
"Of course!" The vendor replied sounding indignant. They exchanged a few more pleasantries, then a booted foot caught me in the shin.  
  
"Get up now." I crawled out of the small space and stood wincing. She looked me over critically, then brushed some debris off my shoulder, sighing.  
  
"I suppose you'll have to do. Come along." The suddenly transformed fruit seller tugged me down a nearby alleyway and crouched down near a wall. She grabbed hold of an iron grate, and pulled. To my surprise it slid back easily, she then motioned me closer.  
  
"The sewers are the one place they cannot control. Go down, and head to your left. You will come to a checkpoint, tell the sentry Esmeralda sent you. That should get you in." I moved next to her and looked down into the darkness. "How do you know me." She looked at me, her eyes a deep emerald black hair falling about her face, kept in check with a cloth headband.  
  
"I foresaw it. You are a half of two, you will change our history. For good or ill." I was stunned into silence, who WAS she? The Hylden seer in disguise?  
  
"But what-?" There was distant shouting, our heads shot up, like gazelle.  
  
"Events are in motion, you cannot go back." I nodded and braced myself.  
  
"I know, and . . . Thank you for your help." She shook her head, green eyes dancing.  
  
"Go." Her petite hands shoved me through the opening, I gave a little shriek as I fell, a good two meters, landing in a dimly lit tunnel, sludge I didn't want to give a name to sluggishly flowing around my ankles.  
  
"Help the resistance!" There was a clang as the grate slid back into place. I sighed and began trekking along the torchlight passageway. What did she MEAN the keep had been overrun? What about Rahab? And Melchiah? Something told me events had unfolded in a way I would not like at ALL . . .  
  
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AN: Fanfare Noise! Wh00ty! Hopefully it was good enough to keep your attention. Please review! 


	13. Daring don't

AN: Kale is with Kain and Raziel, but the keep has been taken over. What will become of them?  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned it, Raz would have been able to save Janos. sniff

Lunatic Pandora1: Yay! happy hamster dance

Varewulf: Yes Raine is in Meridian. I like Cats to! Good with BBQ sauce! (joking)

  
  
We appeared in the middle of a courtyard, the sun rising quickly. Kain appeared unaffected but Raziel and Zephon winced perceptibly. Their blobs shying away closer to shade provided by the trees. I looked around a frowned. Surely teleporting should have brought someone by now . . . a small movement caught my eye.  
  
"Give me your arm."  
  
"Wha-? OW!" I cried out as my wrist was grabbed roughly and pulled, pain flaring up my arm, then suddenly disappearing. I glared up at Kain's doughy blur.  
  
"You Jerk! What did you do that for?!" He raised an eyebrow and tugged on my arm again, I stumbled a few steps, and realized, it hadn't hurt, he'd healed my arm . . . I felt a blush blaze across my cheeks and muttered a thank you, turning my attention back to the darker shadow.  
  
"What IS that?" I asked pointing at it.  
  
"Rahab! Melchiah!" I heard a hiss of indrawn breath, and felt the air swirl around me as all three vampires rushed to where my finger indicated. I followed, nearly tripping over an uneven cobble. The smell of blood was just as strong here as in Dumah's stronghold, along with scent of cooking meat. I squinted cursing my defective vision for the hundredth time. I could barely make them out, huddled together. They were so bloodstained that I almost couldn't tell which was which. I knelt next to them and reached out a hand, placing it gingerly upon what appeared to be a back.  
  
"GAH!" The next thing I knew I was on my back, Rahab's face an inch from mine, fangs bared, eyes crazed. Kain hauled him back, shaking him violently.  
  
"Come to your senses boy!" I just lay there for a second, regaining my scattered wits. Furious discussion was taking place, and then a blur was holding out an arm, I allowed myself to be hauled to my feet.  
  
"Here, I had a feeling you might need them so I had a spare pair made. Um . . .sorry for attacking you." It was Rahab, he pressed something into my hands and I grinned.  
  
"Rahab, if these are what I think they are . . ." I unfolded the glasses and settled them on my nose, I felt my grin widen as everything snapped into focus.  
  
"Rabby, I swear I could KISS you!" I was about to hug him when I remembered where we were, now was NOT the time. At that moment a shout rang out.  
  
"THERE THEY ARE!" This noise caused the early morning birds to take fright, shrieking wildly as they sped through the sky. I whirled around to face the noise and gawped, Sarafan, a LEGION of them, along with Vampires wearing Turel's colors. Both species bristled with menace, but neither seemed eager to go first. I snuck a look at Kain's face and felt true fear crash over me. His eyes were feral; the Reaver pulsing an angry red, glowing like Vader's lightsaber.  
  
"AM I TO BE BETRAYED AT EVERY TURN?!" I looked at Rahab, who was swaying slightly, and Melchiah seemed to be unconscious and smoking slightly. I turned to Raziel.  
  
"We can't fight them; we need to get out of here!" he looked at me, and then through me, thinking. The Sarafan began to move forward, the Vampire's staying in the shadow of the keeps stone. I tried not to let my fear show, attempting to make my voice nonchalant.  
  
"Any time now Raz." Suddenly he nodded, and motioned for Zephon to support Rahab, before he threw Melchiah over his shoulder.  
  
"Father, we must go."  
  
"I will kill them ALL!" I growled and grabbed Kain's arm.  
  
"You can kill them later! Right now your sons NEED you!" He wavered visibly and I tugged his arm, nodding to Raz. At once we all broke into a run, well . . . I ran for a while until Kain threw me over his shoulder and then the pace sped up.  
  
"WAIT!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Raine!" there was a silence.  
  
"If she is here we cannot rescue her now." I hissed as Kain's shoulder rammed my stomach. I could hear us being followed and a hand swiped in front of my face, startling a screech out of me. The world spun as Kain whirled in a circle, Reaver flashing out. I winced as blood splattered my face.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"A relatively safe place." I growled, grunting as his armor knocked the air out of me . . . again.  
  
"Oh that's, oof! Helpful!" We whip round another corner and I could feel the meal I hadn't eaten sloshing around rebelliously. Suddenly we were flying through the air, and the floor was rising above me.  
  
"The HELL?!"  
  
"Be silent." I heard a something clang shut, then clattering as armored boots traipsed over whatever was covering us.  
  
"We've lost them."  
  
"Lord Moebius will not be pleased." There was a tense silence, and then another, smoother, voice spoke.  
  
"It is your fault they got away, if you had not been so cowardly we could have had them at the courtyard!" We began moving again as swords slid from their sheathes.  
  
"Brave words Vampire, but I did not see YOU rushing to the fore!"  
  
The voices faded into the distance, I looked at the floor and realized we were walking on grating, over water. It was eerily familiar; something banging at the back of my brain was screaming that I knew where this was.  
  
"Kain, not that I don't appreciate it and everything, but could you put me down now please?" He grunted and I pitched backwards, landing with a thump.  
  
"OW!" it echoed down the tunnel and I clapped my hand over my mouth as everyone froze, waiting. The silence stretched on, when nothing happened Kain glared at me whispering harshly.  
  
"Did I not tell you to be SILENT?" I glowered right back.  
  
"Well if you hadn't DROPPED me!" I hissed, standing up. He looked about ready to start shouting again so I made a tactical decision to withdraw, and stalked forward to walk with Rahab. I slipped my arm under his arm pit and slung his free arm over my shoulders.  
  
"Is Father getting to you?" I nodded curtly. His hand squeezed my shoulder gently.  
  
"He's only worried." I sighed and stepped over a piece of . . . I have no clue WHAT it was, but it was nasty.  
  
"I don't even know why I CARE that he snapped at me." I muttered. Rahab, chuckled and Zephon looked at me sideways.  
  
"You humans are so stupid." 

AN: yes I know, a little confusing, so let me explain . . . no it's to difficult, let me sum up: Kain Zephon and Kale get back, the Sarafan and Turelim have taken over most of the keep. Melchiah and Rahab are found injured. Kale and Co escape through use of a sewer grate and are now on their way to "Relative safety."  
  
Review please! 


	14. Teenage talkings

AN: Events are in motion, what will become of our heroines?  
  
Varewulf: You are a wonder! I adore you teary eyes Thank you for your support!   
  
Deebuggie: yeah my Spanish accent needs work. yes oracles and people of that ilk are very annoying, but the Seer in BO2 was just freaky.  
  
Lunatic Pandora1: eh-heh-heh...Yeah, but I made it a parallel universe of an alternate reality in which the Legacy is a series of actual events so I can mix and match!

Disclaimer: If I owned it Vorador would have more speaking parts in Blood Omen 2.

I always saw Sanctuary as a rather dark and dank place . . . Probably because my TV was a piece of crap. I never thought it would be well lit, and amazingly dry, though what else I would expect from a species that dissolves in water I have no clue. Torches were evenly spaced around the large cavern, giving enough light to see by, if not enough to illuminate the entire chamber.  
  
"I see Esmeralda has sent us a new convert." I knew that voice, guide, leader, and snappy dresser . . .  
  
"Ah, Vorador, I'm pleased to finally make your acquaintance." He raised an eyebrow, and there was silence . . . LOTS of silence. I looked around, observing the torches, the bare walls, and the minimalistic, not to mention STONE, furniture, and decided to quote Kain at him.  
  
"It has not the splendor of your former castle, but I suppose it will have to do." His cat-like eyes narrowed and I realized I was surrounded by Vampires.  
  
"That probably wasn't the smartest thing for me to say huh?" The green vampire snorted.  
  
"You speak Kain's words, yet have none of his arrogance. Who are you?" I decided to take a page from Kale's book and swept him the most elegant bow that I could.  
  
"I am Raine, recently abducted from Kain's stronghold." There was a gasp, more felt then heard. Vorador took a step forward.  
  
"By whom were you abducted?" I looked around and met golden eyes, staring from every direction.  
  
"Maybe now isn't the best time-" I then made the mistake of looking into his eyes, they had me pinned, and I couldn't look away. I sighed, and gave in.  
  
"Umah. She's working with Moebius." My breathing began to sound loud. Then I realized it was because every other noise had stopped.  
  
"Um...guys?" Suddenly Vorador waved a hand and the vampires that had previously crowded us dispersed.  
  
"So it is true then. I had hoped it was merely a slanderous rumor." I shook my head.  
  
"She's in it up to her neck." He sighed and my heart went out to him. The poor guy had so much manure to deal with as the "Father" of the revolution, and now, his second in command had betrayed him. He shook himself, in a very human way, as if coming back from zoning out.  
  
"How long have you been up?" I had to stop and think about that.  
  
"Um. . . Sunset." He looked at me eyebrows riding high.  
  
"And you aren't tired?" I actually hadn't been until he mentioned it, then my adrenaline presented it's over large bill. I glared at him stifling a yawn.  
  
"Well I WASN'T." He snorted.  
  
"You humans are amazing creatures. For so long we have been fighting over this land, and yet you still maintain your ability to carry on with life as usual." I shrugged; I didn't have the heart to tell him I wasn't from here, besides I'd have to explain the alternate of a parallel reality, which I thought was only a little less confusing then Time travel. He led me deeper into the labyrinth of cavernous chambers.  
  
"It's so big . . . How far underground ARE we?" He grins, which is a slightly unnerving sight, seeing such a large expanse of glistening white in such a very green face.  
  
"I don't think I should tell you, even though you were a guest of Kain, I'm not sure your intellect would be able to process it." I frowned. Where the heck had that COME from? One minute he was perfectly civil the next minute he was calling me stupid!  
  
"I beg your pardon-"  
  
"As you should." I decided to ignore that.  
  
"But I think I'm rather bright."  
  
"And what does that say for the rest of your species?" I bit the inside of my cheek. HARD.  
  
"I don't know about that, but I do know that YOU are being excessively rude." He didn't even deign to respond to that, opening a door to a much smaller room.  
  
"You will stay here." I crossed my arms.  
  
"Says who?" Our glares met and I could feel my body heating up, whether from rage or embarrassment, I couldn't tell.  
  
"You will stay here because I SAY you will." I snorted and braced my legs shoulder width apart.  
  
"And when did we decide I'd be obeying your orders?" His eyes narrowed and his lip curled in a very unattractive sneer.  
  
"You can either stay in here, or go sleep on the street above." I clenched my teeth and turned on my heel, striding back the way we'd come. A hand like a vice clamped down on my wrist.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" I tugged trying fruitlessly to reclaim my arm.  
  
"Back up to the street. Duh." His grip tightened and I tried not to wince as it became painful.  
  
"You are not going anywhere." I put on a brave face and glared at him.  
  
"You gave me a choice, and I picked one!" He growled and those disconcerting teeth flashed yet again.  
  
"Lord Vorador! Lord Vorador!" A generic looking Vampire ran up.  
  
"Kain has arrived!" My head shot up.  
  
"When? With how many? Was there a girl?" I noticed his eyes dart to Vorador.  
  
"You will know, when we know." I stomped my foot. The poor little vampire looked about ready to wet himself. Vorador nodded benevolently.  
  
"We will be there shortly." The vampire bowed and dashed off. Vorador turned to me and glared.  
  
"You will be silent while I speak with him. Whether or not you were his guest you will show him the proper respect." I ground my teeth; it was obvious we weren't going to go anywhere until I agreed.  
  
"FINE! Can we GO now?!" He led the way, his stride slow and even. I was practically vibrating by the time we reached the main chamber. There they were, looking ragged and worn, but out of them, there were only two faces I wanted to see, though I quietly denied the fact that I found the second important.  
  
"KALE!" I rushed forward ignoring Vorador's angry growl. We met in the middle and hugged eachother fiercely. I looked into her face and saw that her eyes were misty behind the primitive glasses, and had to blink to keep my own tears at bay. We pulled apart and stood looking at eachother for a moment before I asked the question foremost on my mind.  
  
"What HAPPENED?" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  
  
"I'm going to have to summarize." I nodded.  
  
"Well, there was the fire right? And I was like Crap! And then these people were like, follow us. So then I went to the Dumahim stronghold and it was like WOAH! And I fell and it was like Ahhh! And then there was Zephon who was all like Grrr! Then we broke out and it was like Yikes! And then Kain and Raz showed up with Dumah and we were like YAY! And then Dumah turned traitor and we were all like DUDE! And then we won and Dumah died. We got back to the stronghold and we were like Shit! Cause of the Sarafan right? But there were also Turelim which was waaaaay bad ya know? So we ran away and came here." She stopped and took another deep breath.  
  
"Wow, and I thought my night was bad." I looked around. Kain was blinking, Raziel had a blitzed look. Rahab and Zephon exchanged shrugs, and Melchiah looked to be unconscious. I turned to catch a glimpse of the Reformed Sado- Hedonist of the Dark Wood, to find him silently mouthing her explanation trying to make sense of it all. I looked back at her as she cocked her head to the side, ponytail swaying slightly.  
  
"Tell me." I smiled.  
  
"I'll summarize as well if you don't mind." She nodded graciously, smirking slightly. An unsettling habit probably picked up from Kain.  
  
"After the fire we were all like crap! So we went back to the stronghold and Kain was all like "I'LL find her" And he left and I was like GRR! Then Rahab and Melchiah went off all like don't' worry, right? So then I was like "go on Zephon gloat!" but it wasn't him! And I was like Sheeeeeeeet. Ya know? And then I followed the fake and he disappeared! Then Umah was all like "Meddling Kid" ya know? And I was like Ahhh! And she took to Moebius who was TOTALLY gross! And then he kidnapped me! So I end up in this tower right? And the EG is like "I'll help you if you turn against Kain" And I was like "Hell NO!" So I got out and it was like PE all over again! Then Esmeralda saved me and sent me here." Kale blinked.  
  
"Wow." I didn't even bother looking around, my eyes went straight to Raziel's. I felt my face turning red as Kale followed my gaze and grinned knowingly.  
  
"I believe we have not yet been introduced." The chill in that voice was worse than a bucket of Ice water, and I turned around to meet Vorador's diamond hard gaze.

AN: Sorry it's so late! But I had SOLs and Finals are coming up along with final projects, two of which are due on the same day TT. I hope you don't hate me. Hopefully I'll get more posting time over the summer. 


	15. Poor Punctuation

AN: Well, What adventures await Raine and Kale in the place known as "Sanctuary" And will that place live up to its name?  
  
Smoke: I am very glad you think so. I DO try my best.  
  
LadyJanos265: I am happy to know you will be enjoying this chapter then...I hope...  
  
Lunatic Pandora1: Yeah, writing late at night tends to make my writing a little weird. Forgive me?  
  
Varewulf: I adore you because you leave long reviews! And because I adore all my reviewers because they think I'm worth the effort of Critiqueing/encouraging/flaming.  
  
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"I believe we have not yet been introduced." I looked back to see one of my favorite Vampires from the Legacy and Reaver Series, Vorador. But he seemed different, less benevolent and more . . . commanding. I looked him over.  
  
"No we haven't, but I know you, Vorador." I bowed, and noticed him raising an eyebrow at Raine when I straightened.  
  
"My name is Kale." He turned his attention back to me and looked me over. I got the distinct feeling I was being weighed and measured, it made me shiver.  
  
"You already know who we are." I had to hurriedly stifle a squeak, and I couldn't entirely contain my twitch as Kain's voice came from the air just behind me. I frowned. Hadn't he been all the way back there before? When had he? I mean....he wasn't behind me when I bowed, I would have noticed. I blinked focusing back onto the conversation at hand.  
  
"We need to stay here for the time being."  
  
"Of course Kain, we will need your help now that it has been reveled Umah has joined forces with the Sarafan Lord." I swear the temperature dropped at LEAST twenty degrees.  
  
"I see." I shot a glance at Raine who gave a small shrug eyes wide. Then my conscience leapt up and slapped me.  
  
"Melchiah!" I whirled and ran to Raziel, who was holding the weakest brother's limp form. I went round behind him so that I could get a better look at Melchiah's face; it was pale gray, seeming to become darker.  
  
"He needs help!" I went to place my hand on the side of his face but Rahab's hand was suddenly on my wrist. He shook his head. I raised an eyebrow, he shook his head again. Raziel heaved Melchiah onto what I assumed was the same slab Kain had woken up on after his first Meridian encounter with the Sarafan Lord. My eyes probably bugged out completely when bits of his skin began falling off like slightly damp sheets of paper.  
  
"eeeewwwww........" Raine poked me, giving me "shush!" glare. I pointed at him.  
  
"Ehhhh!'  
  
"Nnn."  
  
"Pft!" She rolled her eyes. I grunted as I was shoved aside by a random Vampire carrying a body, it looked like a peasant. I began bouncing slightly on the balls of my feet.  
  
". . . You didn't kill a commoner did you?" he turned to me.  
  
"You wanted me to bring him here alive?" I ignored his sarcasm.  
  
"No, But the Sarafan soldiers have more blood." Everything stopped, there were so many people staring I felt like I was back doing my monologue in front of my theater class.  
  
"What? It's TRUE!" I scooched closer to Raine which put me slightly behind Kain, unintentionally of course, and held very still. Vorador raised an eye ridge.  
  
"You are an odd human being." I snorted and put my hands on my hips.  
  
"Oh Come ON! Surely YOU could be a little more original!"  
  
"Kale..."  
  
"You could say, 'Your unconformity astounds me'!"  
  
"Kale!"  
  
"Or perhaps you could say-"  
  
"KALE!" I jumped and looked innocently at Raine through my thick glasses.  
  
"Whaaaaaaaaaat?" A wet tearing sound drew my attention back to Melchiah and I felt myself gag as the newly peeled skin melded to him, the errand vampire tossing the now shiny corpse into a corner, where another vampire dragged it into a shadowed hallway. I heard Raine's 'urf', as she to stifled her gag reflex.  
  
"Wet paper bag." Rahab looked at me eyes filled with concern and confusion.  
  
"What?"  
  
"It sounds like ripping a wet paper bag..." I giggled and blinked as my head spun. Rahab placed a clammy hand on my forehead.  
  
"You have a fever!" Raine looked at me and shook her head.  
  
"It's just exhaustion, she's trying to stay awake." It was then I realized I'd begun to bounce on the balls of my feet again.  
  
"As soon as you get her to hold still for a little bit she'll be out like a light." I pouted.  
  
"Awwww! Waineeeyyy! Ooo gave it away!" All the brothers, the ones that were conscious anyway, were staring at me as if I'd lost my mind. This wouldn't have been to far from the truth, being tired does funny things to my brain. I start talking in tongues and singing VERY childish songs at the top of my lungs. My parents never did tell me where I got it from.  
  
"I shall escort her to her room." A green clawed hand rested itself on my arm and I beamed up a Vorador.  
  
"Okay giant, green and jolly!" Raine stifled a laugh and yawned, a few seconds later I followed suit, my jaw creaking as it was stretched to its limits. Kain might have glared; I had sleepy tears misting my eyes and couldn't tell for sure. I felt myself being pulled and followed the tug humming The Meatball Song. I knew I was acting odd, and that it wasn't a good first impression, so I tried to stop myself. I managed it by yawning again, the oxygen swept through my brain and my eyelids began to slide shut. I tried to keep them open, REALLY I did. It just didn't work.  
  
"You and your friend are, truly, very strange."  
  
I woke up in a bed. This might seem insignificant to some of you, but for me it was a big deal. My glasses were off to, for which I was grateful. Rahab had tried, but the wire had nothing to pad it, leaving it to chafe and irritate my nose and the sensitive skin where the top of the ear connects to the head. Don't get me wrong! I loved being able to see, but . . . it was annoying.  
  
Compared to everything else that had gone wrong it was a minor complaint, but it was the only one I felt I could justify. Raziel, Turel, Dumah, Rahab, Zephon, Melchiah. Turel and Dumah, traitors to Kain, Zephon slowly regaining his strength, Melchiah wounded, badly, Rahab not hurt to much, and Raziel desperately in need of Raine's calm and cheerful influence. And there I was, lying in a bed, utterly unhurt. I felt useless, weak, not worth the effort it would take Kain to slice my head off.  
  
"...erk!" I recognized this kind of depression, and if it was what I thought it was, then I was in sooooo much trouble. I sat up and winced as my abdomen twinged.  
  
"Oh no...oh no, oh nooooo..." I heard a grunt from my left.  
  
"Raine?"  
  
"Nnnmm"  
  
"Raine?!" Cloth rustled and I felt air movement as she sat up.  
  
"What?" I did some quick mental calculation and swore silently. I should have REMEMBERED! But those three days back at the beginning had thrown me off.  
  
"It's the 21st." The silence of sluggish brain activity floated over.  
  
"...What's THAT go to do with anything?" I gave her time to dig through her memory banks. Her gasp told me when she'd found what she was looking for.  
  
"You're NOT!" I nodded miserably, she couldn't see me, but somehow she felt it.  
  
"Oh my God..." Which were my sentiments exactly.  
  
"You can't be serious Kale, NOW?"  
  
"You think I wanted it now?!" I clenched my teeth as a cramp caught me off guard. Why was it me? Why ALWAYS me? I survived a fire, broke my arm, got chased through TWO strongholds, AND had the hyper tired! What does SHE do? Get caught by Moebius, talk to the elder god escape the Sarafan keep and trudge through a sewer...Okay so she had a rough time to...but SHE didn't break her arm! I whapped my head twice trying to dislodge the evil thoughts. Being petty was going to get me nowhere fast, and what I needed was a bathroom.  
  
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AN: Yes I know I'm cruel to her beyond belief but that's only cause she's everyone's favorite. And I'm tired of reading things where people NEVER use the bathroom. I realize that also takes in the previous chapters but still. Please review! I am SORRY it's so late. Finals and crud. Sowwy 


	16. Aliens in the Abdomen

AN: And now we reach the all important Solo Fem Adventure!...And you have no clue what I'm talking about...siiiiiiiigh RIGHT! Don't worry! Romance will come! I swear on the grave of my father!  
  
Raziel:...Your dads not dead yet....  
  
Komi: Oh...yeah...um...on the grave of my Grandfather!  
  
Raziel: That works.  
  
Varewulf: they're 19, maybe it's because Vorador's one of the oldest so they try and make him look cooler each game? It's good to improve, but random things are a help to, they can be inspirational. And traitor ass will be kicked two chapters from this one.  
  
Chibi Lunnie: Thank you! I shall attempt to do so.  
  
Lunatic Pandora1: Well, Kain's reaction will be just a little delayed, but the condition lasts a week so you'll get to see it...eventually...  
  
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I put my head in my hands and tried not to strangle my best friend. It was hard, almost as hard as the time she'd dropped my "Castlevania" for GBA into the sink and erased its memory. I'd been pretty darn close to beating Dracula to. I had no clue what time it was, but I knew that Kale was going to need some Feminine Hygiene Products and a new pair of underwear.  
  
"Okay lets see if we can sneak out of here and get you something." I handed her her glasses and pulled on my tattered boots from what seemed like YEARS ago, even though it truly had only been a few days. I heard her whimper as she got up and winced in sympathy.  
  
"Cramps?"  
  
"Nooooo, Aliens are eating my abdomen." I sighed in relief; sarcasm meant she was normal; I just had to worry when she dropped in to self pity. When that happened I knew she'd start crying, and I couldn't DEAL with that just then.  
  
"First things first, we need to get you...whatever is their equivalent of Pads."  
  
"How are we going to get out?"  
  
"Easy, we'll just go back the way I came, since there are two of us it shouldn't be a problem." She nodded and straightened up as her cramp subsided slightly.  
  
"And since Kain and the green guy are probably closeted in a meeting we shouldn't have....MUCH of a problem sneaking out." I blinked and paused.  
  
"I don't think that's a good idea, they should know where we're going." She rolled her eyes and reached past me to open the door.  
  
"Raine, I am NOT about to go tell Kain that I'm on my period. It's just out to get supplies and then back. What can go wrong?" She went out and I hurried to keep up. We got out without much of a fuss, but when we got to the sentry it was a whole different matter...  
  
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"Where're you two headed?" I flashed him my most charming smile.  
  
"We're just going out for some supplies." I heard a hiss from Kale as she was attacked by another "Abdomen eating alien". The vampires head turned to her, probably to ask a question, but he never got that far. His nostrils flared, his pupils dilated and in that moment I knew that he could smell the blood, and wanted it. Kale apparently realized this as well. She went completely still, trying to slow her breathing. He turned his back to me and stepped towards her, she stepped back, always staying the same distance away. I looked around and stuck my hand in the small stream of sewer water, grimacing as something 'squished' against my hand. The vampire reached out and grabbed Kale's hand.  
  
"Let me go." I saw her eyes widen as she realized she had nowhere else to go, he had her backed up against the wall. I saw him lunge. Kale ducked down, avoiding his first bite but was still trapped.  
  
"HEY!" I sprang forward as I yelled, my wet outstretched hand smearing across his face as he turned to face me. By sheer luck I managed to get his eyes but his teeth sank into my forearm. I'm not really sure how I kept from screaming...the shock I guess. Suddenly Kale's hands were on his face, damp, leaving scorch marks where they touched, some flesh turning to ash and drifting down. He pulled his head back, fangs leaving jagged holes, that bled slowly turning my already stained shirtsleeve dark black. Kale grabbed my arm and we ran for it as he thrashed around howling.  
  
"There!" I pointed up at the grate. Kale knelt so I could stand on her shoulders, it was hard work but I shoved the grate over and clambered up lowering my good arm down.  
  
"Hurry up!"  
  
"I AM hurrying!" She grabbed my arm and I heaved with all my might. We ended up sprawled on the cobbles hearing the echo of a roar.  
  
"Hurryhurryhurry!" I chanted as we scrambled to get the grate back in place before making a mad dash to the nearest occupied street. We sagged against the wall of some tavern or other, breathing hard.  
  
"What could...go wrong?" I mocked attempting to return my heartbeat to normal.  
  
"Shut up." The lady next to us moved away. Kale spotted an opportunity. She straightened her tunic and put on her 'lost and confused' eyes, guaranteed to melt the hardest of hearts. The only people to be immune would probably be Kain, Raz, Mobieus and the EG.  
  
"Excuse me, Ma'am?" The poor woman stiffened.  
  
"Y-yes?"  
  
"Do you know where we can find a store for....um...Feminine Needs?" The pedestrian looked a bit confused for a minute but you could almost see the light bulb go off over her head.  
  
"Oh! Of course, you poor children, you must be so scared to be out after dark!" She ushered us down a few poorly lit streets, stopping outside a seemingly run down building.  
  
"You just talk to Sharee. She'll help you." From somewhere in another district a bell tolled ten O'clock. The matronly woman's head went up like a gazelle's.  
  
"Oh dear, I have to go, be careful on your way home." We waved and watched her disappear into the slowly thickening fog.  
  
"Raine, I just realized something..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Um...We don't have any money..." I felt like finding a bridge and jumping off it.  
  
"I KNEW we should have told Kain, now come on, lets go back." She shook her head, pony tail whipping around like a dying snake.  
  
"We can't go back empty handed! He'd get all..." She shuddered. "Sarcastic..." I ground my teeth together, but couldn't deny that it was true. If we came back without what we came out to get the whole trip would be wasted.  
  
"Fine, we'll go in and see if we can get charity, or a tab...or something." She gave me a small apologetic smile.  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
"Forget about it." The building was spooky but Kale walked up the steps as if she was back home, going door to door for her Valentine's day rose giving. Every Valentine's Day she'd go out and buy this HUGE bouquet of flowers then go door to door and give a flower to every person that answered. I shook my head and followed her. The ramshackle door swung open before her fist came in contact with the wood. She turned to me eyes wide. I shrugged, why would I know what that meant?  
  
"Come in, come in. Don't stand about or the Sarafan will have you." That dry voice seemed to yank us in and the door slammed shut behind us. The place was dark, I could barely see the low table in front of us, and that was only AFTER I'd hit my shins on it. Kale put her hand in mine. In this light, even with the glasses, she was as good as blind.  
  
"Everybody comes to Sharee when they have a problem."  
  
"Are you Sharee?" I asked, pulling Kale over to what looked to be a clear spot in a cluttered floor.  
  
"Indeed and Sharee is very pleased you have come, she has been waiting for you." Kale and I looked around, trying to find out where the voice was coming from.  
  
"Does Sharee always speak in third person?" Muttered Kale sounding rather irked. I noticed her mood swing with mild alarm. There was a cackle in the darkness.  
  
"So it's THAT kind of problem is it missy? Don't you worry; Sharee will have you fixed up right as can be." I blinked. Either Sharee was really good, or she was Psychic, considering where we were, I was willing to bet the latter. My eyes had adjusted slightly and I could see a dark figure moving around, making no noise whatsoever. It wasn't as frightening as it probably should have been, I mean, come on. Hanging around vampires can REALLY screw up what you think.  
  
"Raine...do you hear that?" I tore my attention away from the silently moving shadow and strained my ears. It was very faint, shouting...and the clang of swords. I squeezed Kale's hand.  
  
"You don't think it's them do you?" I felt her tense.  
  
"I hope not..."  
  
"Do not worry, Sharee's house cannot be seen by those who do not need it." We both turned in the direction of the voice and I felt a packet pressed into my free hand.  
  
"That is for you when you need it corn haired one." I blinked. Corn hair? I knew my hair was blonde but corn hair was pushing it a little...and I wondered: how could she see us in this light? My adjusted eyes made out a similar package in Kale's other hand.  
  
"Um...we don't have anything to pay you with..." Her voice was small, and sounded very contrite. The woman cackled.  
  
"Worry not girl of four eyes. Sharee knows all. The corn haired one has spoken to Sharee's apprentice." I frowned. When on earth had I-?  
  
"Esmeralda?!" There was another cackle.  
  
"Indeed, speak highly of you she did, though see clearly she could not. Sharee can though and glad this makes her." The shouting had gotten louder and I could hear it without trying now.  
  
"But you must go, the King to be seeks you girl of four eyes. And corn haired one's prince is anxious." I blushed as Raziel's face sprang into my mind, his hair falling around his face in dark wisps, his gold rimmed eyes staring right through me...There was a loud shout and something slammed into the side of the house. I tugged Kale's hand.  
  
"Thank you very much Sharee." The woman laughed again and suddenly we were outside, packages in hand but Sharee's house was gone, and we were facing three vampires.  
  
"There they are!"  
  
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AN: yes it was slow I'm sorry...there was a....death in the family while this was being written. My cousin. But to make it up to you I'm posting two chapters at once. Review please? 


	17. Vicious Vampires

AN: the second chapter I promised you....  
  
Disclaimer: again, in case it's been forgotten, I don't own it, I'd be voicing a character in the games if I did.  
  
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"There they are!" My head snapped around from the suddenly gone house to face the speaker. It was Vorador, and he looked none to happy. In a flash I was pinned up against a crumbling wall.  
  
"You traitors! Sneaking to the Sarafan were you?" I tried to speak but his claws were clenched around my throat. Spots were appearing in my vision when suddenly the pressure disappeared. I coughed then looked up. Kain was holding Vorador's wrist and they were arguing heatedly if quietly. I edged over to Raine and snuck a peek at her arm, the bite from the sentry had scabbed, but from the look of it, it was going to itch quite a lot. Suddenly Raziel was in front of us, he sniffed then looked at Raine's arm as well.  
  
"You're hurt!" The under voiced argument ceased abruptly, and I cleared my throat.  
  
"Yeah, it happened while she defended me from attack by the vampire guarding the exit." I felt all eyes on me and called up every ounce of stage confidence I could.  
  
"Why would the guard attack you?" It sounded like Vorador was asking through clenched teeth, but I kept my gaze focused on Raine, I didn't want to see the look on Kain's face...I didn't think I could face it without either breaking down or being scared stiff.  
  
"It's a rather personal matter Lord Vorador." There was a snort.  
  
"I hardly believe a chit of a girl like you could have seduced him." I stiffened.  
  
"It was hardly my intention to seduce him Lord Vorador. And I didn't. YOU on the other hand might wish to teach your "Children" Some measure of self control." I could feel the chill radiate off of him, even as far apart as we were.  
  
"Explain yourself Mortal." That glacier cool voice belonged to Kain. I felt tears cloud my eyes for no good reason. I blinked rapidly and found that Raine was looking at me worriedly, I tried to smile.  
  
"I would...Lord Kain. But as I informed Lord Vorador, it is a PERSONAL matter." Again I felt claws around my throat, but they did not squeeze, they merely threatened. I kept my eyes averted. Then I heard a sniff, followed closely by a second one. The hand on my neck moved, forcing me to tilt, my head up to meet Kain's eyes. They burned, burned with cold.  
  
"You bleed. But I see no wound upon you." I blushed and jerked away, I wanted to tell him but...it was to embarrassing! I couldn't tell him...but I had to...but what to say?

"It's called The Purification. When after 38 days a female is not made to be with child the unfertilized seed is cleansed from her body, along with the blood used to shelter it." I blinked. I couldn't believe that had just come out of my mouth! HOW on earth had I come up with THAT? I heard a familiar cackle in my head and silently thanked Sharee again. I didn't know what she was, but I had a feeling that she'd just saved my bacon.  
  
"Why did you not speak of this before?" His voice was empty and into that void slipped my own sadness, and I felt... hollow, cold and yet, I was calm.  
  
"I'd forgotten that my cycle was at this point. And...it is my body. Do you speak of your ills Kain? No. You do not." I finally turned to look at him, and there was something else in his eyes then. Anger? Fear? Hatred? I didn't know, and at that point I honestly didn't care.  
  
"You cannot. That is the burden of a King." I turned to Raziel who was looking at me, even though his hand was still on Raine's shoulder, and my mouth twitched up into a smile.  
  
"Can we go back to Sanctuary now? I have what I need and I'm tired."  
  
"No." I sighed. Some how I had known that it would be Vorador who would object. I raised my head to the star specked sky, and let my eyes wander, picking out patterns.  
  
"Why not?" Raziel's voice sounded rebellious, and I could imagine his clawed hand tightening on Raine's shoulder. I sighed again.  
  
"Because the smell of my blood would send half the Vampires there into conniptions Raz, It doesn't matter to you since, judging by the blood stains, you all have just eaten. But what about those who don't come up often? Those who are towards then end of their patience?" There was a loaded silence.  
  
"But Kale where could you stay? There's really no safe placeto hide, with Moebius and the Sarafan Lord running around." I turned back to Raine; indeed Raziel's hand hadn't left her shoulder.  
  
"I don't know. One of the Inns I suppose."  
  
"No." Kain's voice was hard and unyielding.  
  
"You will return to sanctuary."  
  
"She cannot!"  
  
"She MUST!" I blinked and turned back to face the Vampire Lords, the void inside me melting away. Why was Kain arguing? He must know that Vorador was right.  
  
"The Sarafan seek her and the other one. We do not know what Moebius plans after their capture, so we cannot let either of them be taken!" I cocked my head to the side, what was he talking about? Sure the Sarafan had got us in the beginning and yeah Moebius and Umah had kidnapped Raine, but what on EARTH made Kain think they had a plan? I looked at Raine, who shrugged. She had no clue where he was getting this either. Kain and Vorador began arguing again, not so quietly this time. I looked up at the sound of wood scraping on wood, to see a man opening a window. I quickly grabbed Raine and Raziel and pushed them into a convenient alley, then rushed over to the arguing Vampires and shoved them behind a wagon piled with barrels ducking down behind it as well.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?" I slapped my hand over Vorador's mouth.  
  
"Shhhh!"  
  
"Is anybody out there?" I held completely still and prayed that the civilian hadn't seen us.  
  
"Dear what are you doing?" the woman's voice was faint, drifting on a gentle breeze.  
  
"I thought I heard people shouting."  
  
"It's probably the Sarafan chasing shadows again."  
  
"Shush! Do you want to get us arrested?" The window closed with a thud. I let out a breath. Fangs started to dig into my palm and I hurriedly removed my hand.  
  
"Sorry. There wasn't time to explain." I stood and looked around. Kain placed a hand on my shoulder, his black nails blending with my green tunic in the evening light. I spotted Raine's braid reflecting the torchlight as she peeked out of the alleyway. I nodded and went to meet her, suppressing the urge to turn back when the weight of Kain's hand slipped away. I met her in the middle of the street. Raziel stood behind her like a Secret Service man behind a president. And there we waited as a hissed argument took place behind me. They were deciding my fate; would I be left on the streets for a week? Or would they risk taking me back to the home of vampires?  
  
"Raine? Do you know what we'd be doing today?" She looked at me, eyebrow raised.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Back home." Her mouth made a little O.  
  
"No. What?" I smiled and looked at the sky.  
  
"We'd be getting ready for Otakon, picking out materials for our costumes, and finding patterns. You were going to go as Zelda, remember?" She nodded a slow smile spreading across her face.  
  
"Yeah, You were going to go as Shippo." I nodded.  
  
"Do you think we'll ever get back?"  
  
"I don't know Kale. Maybe." A throat cleared behind my back and Raine peered over my shoulder. I turned.  
  
"You will return with us to sanctuary, BUT," Vorador held up a claw.  
  
"You will be confined to your room for as long as you are being purified." I managed a small smile.  
  
"Well I hope you've got a lot of good books for me then."  
  
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AN: ta-da! Two chapters at once, I know their short, the story will pick up speed in the next chapter I promise! 


	18. Horrendous Haircuts

AN: And I'm back from Otakon! Back in Sanctuary what will happen to our intrepid heroines? Thank you all for your understanding and support.  
  
Disclaimer; I don't own it...Darn.

Varewulf: Thank you very much. Here is your eagerly anticipated chapter, I hope it pleases you.  
  
Emerada: Thank you for reviewing! Here is what happens next.  
  
Chibi Lunnie: Glad you approve. :) I shall endeavor to keep my work up to par.  
  
Shark Kain: Thank you, I do pride myself on making my characters believable as well as entertaining.  
  
Lunatic Pandora1: I hope you continue to find them amusing, that IS part of my goal after all.  
  
Akira-Jezabel: Yes, the Kain here is young Kain from Blood Omen 2, while the places and events here take place in the games when he is older, this is also a parallel universe of that reality, so things are a little screwed up. Hope that clears things up for you a bit...Sorry it was confusing.  
  
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The walk back to Sanctuary was like some kind of spy movie! Sarafan on every corner, almost all of them with Glyph armor, if I hated those guys in BO2, I REALLY hated them now. By the time we got back to Sanctuary I swear I'd lost ten years of my life.  
  
"If I hear the word 'Vampire' one more time..." I muttered and Kale nodded in agreement.  
  
"We are here. Return to your room, Kain and I have much to...discuss." I knew from the tone of voice he meant, 'We're going to have a flaming row, but we can't have it in public so we're going to pretend to be civilized until we get to a room where we can lock the door.' Raziel looked torn but Kain motioned him to go with them, he looked at me, and I swear I forgot almost everything.  
  
"I'll be okay." He nodded and followed his sire down a dark corridor. Kale looked at me and I noticed the oddest thing.  
  
"Kale, don't those frames hurt?" She nodded.  
  
"Like anything, but being able to see, s'worth it." She shrugged. I rolled my eyes and flipped my braid over my shoulder.  
  
"Come on, I don't want to hang around here." We headed off in the direction of our room and were almost there before we were caught. The other vampires had been nowhere to be found and I had been hoping that we would make it through without incident, but with us, nothings ever that easy.  
  
Kale gave a yelp of surprise and I whirled only to be face to scarred face with Vampire sentry. Kale's ponytail was clutched in one of his clawed hands the other stroking her face, if it hadn't been such a bad situation Kale's expression would have had me laughing harder then the time Richard Simmons appeared on "Whose Line is it Anyway?". She looked like she was about go down the incline on the superman rollercoaster.  
  
"So pretty, smells so good..." His face was next to her neck and she shuddered. I knew I had to get him away from Kale. We weren't that far from the room, twenty feet at most, if I could just get him to let go of her hair...but that turned out to be impossible, his fingers were so tangled in it, it looked like the Gordian knot. A glint of metal at his side caught my eye, a dagger! Dagger, hair...BRAIN BLAST! As quick as I could I ripped the dagger out of the sheath at his side, the smell of blood so close must have addled his senses because I KNOW it shouldn't have worked, but it did. When he turned I managed to bring the dagger down on Kale's hair, severing the ponytail.  
  
"My HAIR!"  
  
"No time!" I grabbed her hand and we made a dash for the door, we had it open in a flash and closed and barred just as the bulk of the vampire slammed into it making it rattle.  
  
"Well...that was exciting." Kale punched my arm lightly.  
  
"Shut up." The door shuddered in its frame.  
  
"Maybe we should...build a barricade?"  
  
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What felt like hours later Kale had determined that the width of the room was twelve steps by nine steps. And her continual pacing was driving me up the wall. The barricade jumped occasionally and it to had been grating on my nerves. Kale had opened up Sharee's package a while ago and disappeared behind her bed for a few minutes then returned looking better. I had my little bundle on my pillow, since every other furnishing, the chair, the two bedside tables, (solid oak pieces, all of them) was part of our little makeshift barrier. Even in a sewer Vorador was materialistically vain.  
  
"Raine..."  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Do you have a mirror?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Why?" She sighed and ran her hand through her now unevenly cut hair.  
  
"I want to know what I look like...You know..." She waved her hand vaguely. I turned so that I was sitting diagonal to the wall and looked up at her.  
  
"Well...It looks layered, kind of, shorter up near the top and longer down near the bottom. Probably the angle I got when I cut it, sorry." She shrugged and gestured for me to go on.  
  
"Hmm, your bangs seem a lot longer now, kind of like that girl from Titan A.E, only with out the shaved head thing." She nodded and ran her hand through it. I stood and flopped onto my bed.  
  
"Right............How long has it been?" I snorted.  
  
"Your hair? I think it was down below your shoulder blades once." She growled at me and I shrugged.  
  
"I don't KNOW Kale." She sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry, it's just-" Raised voices outside caught our attention. There were a few thumps and I found myself next to Kale between the beds. My whole body was tensed ready to fight or flee in an instant.  
  
"Raine! Are you alright?"  
  
"Raziel?!" I was next to the barricade in a flash pulling the chair away, Kale took one of the nightstands. Soon we only had the bar to move, Kale held up a hand, stopping me from removing it.  
  
"Prove you're Raziel."  
  
"What?" She frowned.  
  
"Prove that YOU are Raziel and not Moebius or Turel or some other deranged person." There was a long silence.  
  
"When we first met, I stole your shirt to protect me from the worst of the rain, when you awakened at Kain's stronghold you called me a...jerk." She nodded.  
  
"Okay, let him in." I pulled the bar back and opened the door cautiously, still jumpy. It was him, in those pants...God! I STILL think they should be illegal. He moved in and looked me over.  
  
"Are you hurt anywhere?" I shook my head, he pulled up my arm and looked over the scabbing bite marks.  
  
"And those?" As if those words had been their introduction they began to itch like CRAZY!  
  
"Thank you VERY much Raziel, they didn't do jack till you mentioned them." Kale snickered and I glared at her. Raziel turned and I got a good look at his face as he saw Kale's new haircut.  
  
"What's wrong Raz? Don't like the 'do?" She smiled but her eyes gave away the lie. She'd always been proud of her hair and now it had been mangled, for her survival of course, and she knew it.  
  
"I admit, it's not the style I'd have picked but it suits me don't you think?" The poor Lieutenant looked like a fish on dry land.  
  
"Lord Kain will not be pleased..." Kale looked at me and I spread my hands, I had no clue what he was talking about either. We didn't even hear him come in, one minute the doorway was empty, the next it was full of Vampire lord.  
  
"Raziel it should not-" I had never heard Kain stop mid sentence before, yet another first in this Parallel Universe of an Alternate Reality. I saw Kale gulp and felt my own esophagus joining in. Her nervous grin spread across her face.  
  
"Oh! Hi Kain! Didn't um...hear you..." He strode over and tilted her face towards him, turning it this way and that so he could see the damage done.  
  
"Who has done this to you?"  
  
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AN: YAY! Chapter ...18 is erm... done. Please review, I live off of them, it keeps me going. 


	19. Malicious Mindgames

AN: Thank you all so much! I love you all!

Lunatic Pandora1: Maybe. I'll take it in to consideration. :)

Smoke: Oh yes, but you'll only get to see them next chapter, sorry...

Akira-Jezabel: yeah I know, sorry, I'll work on it!

Chibi Lunnie: Yeah, I had to do something to indicate surprise and I mean have you EVER heard Kain stop mid-sentence? That's GOT to be a once in a life time thing. I'm hoping I did his bad-ass side justice here...

Varewulf: Yes, the hair was a bit of a shock. I'm glad you liked the imagery. :)

Disclaimer: If I owned it I wouldn't have to write these little things saying I didn't.

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"Who has done this to you?" Oh yeah look at Mister high and mighty. That's what I was thinking at the time anyway.

"Why do you wanna know?" I glared up at him through my medieval glasses.

"You are in my care." I snorted.

"When did we make THAT arrangement? So you've rescued me a few times, it's not like I'm going to run to you for every little problem that I have!" Raine coughed and I looked at her, apparently Kain must have to because she looked like she was being eyed by the largest snake in the world.

"I...had something in my throat..." Raziel stepped forward and locked eyes with Kain.

"Father, when I came to fetch them there was another here, attempting to gain entrance. When I approached he attacked me once then fled." I clenched my teeth and steeled myself for the confrontation to come.

"Who was this?"

"None of your beeswax." He turned back to me and I swear I felt like I was going through Dragon freeze. I couldn't move at all, my legs felt like lead and my arms were sacks of flour. I managed to maintain my glare, focusing on his eyes as he moved till he was toe-to-toe with me, looking down. It was a height intimidation trick I'd had used on me before, but this time, it was perilously close to working.

"Tell me."

"I won't." He growled and I felt it rumble in his chest.

"Do not make this difficult for yourself girl." I gave him a cocky smile, that I didn't feel.

"Don't you mean, 'Don't make this difficult for me girl'?" he snarled fangs flashing in the dim light and I gasped as I felt him in my brain. This angered me enough to break me out of my motionlessness.

"You BASTARD! Get OUT of my HEAD!" I aimed a punch at his gut and suddenly found myself crushed to his chest. In other circumstances I wouldn't have complained, to much, but now? I felt him sifting through my memories and began thinking the most annoying song in the world; this frustrated his attempts for a moment.

"You are only making this harder for yourself." A lance of fire speared my brain and I hissed as his mental hand ripped through my defenses like tissue paper, digging. I brought up obsolete memories to block his way. He was NOT going to get this out of me without a fight. I stifled a scream as he ripped through those as well, sending nails of pain through my skull, making my knees tremble.

"Stop it! You're hurting her!" Raine's voice was so far away, suddenly I was back in the sewer crouched after avoiding his first attack, back to the wall my escape blocked by the fledge, and my glasses tilted, threatening to fall off. Hearing Raine's shout of "HEY" echoing down the tunnel, the escape and finding the house of Sharee. Strangely enough I didn't have to block to keep him from finding out about Sharee, he skipped over it as though it wasn't there, but I wasn't going to give up. I was a big girl; I could solve my problems on my own Thank You Very Much! I managed one last burst of energy to slam my knee up, only to be blocked by his free hand, but that touch brought me back to the present.

"Get out..." He held me up as my legs gave way.

"You brought this on yourself...foolish woman." And I was back in the hall following Raine, wondering when we were going to eat, I was STARVING! A hand tangled itself in my ponytail and yanked, forcing my head back and startling a yelp out of me; it didn't hurt, pulling on ponytails rarely does. But then his face was next to mine, his stagnant breath wafting over my face.

"So pretty...smells so good..." I felt my face contort in disgust as he stroked my face with a clawed hand. Raine leaped and ripped the dagger from his sheathe slicing through the ponytail and dragging me into the room...His presence withdrew from my mind, and as his power receded, so did my consciousness. That's right. I fainted.

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I came too to the...er...not-so melodious sound of Raine chewing someone out.

"She's still on her period! What if the stress caused permanent damage?! If it did I'm NEVER forgiving you!" My head throbbed with each sentence, just then I felt another alien take a huge chunk out of my abdomen.

"Errrrgh..."

"SEE?! See how much pain she's in?! And it's entirely YOUR fault!" I heard the door open and shut, and Raine's muffled, 'Jerk'. I managed to crack an eye open to see Raine above, head turned to glare at someone I couldn't see. She'd probably taken off my glasses before they'd put me in the bed. Even this small movement had me feeling nauseous.

"Raine..." I winced as my voice came out, sound raspy and haggard. She looked at me her blue eyes filled with friendly concern.

"Yes Kale?"

"Shush. You're making it worse." Her eyes got amazingly wide.

"Right." She whispered.

"I'll be quiet." I closed my eye and tried to get up the courage to open them both. I braced my self and did; it didn't hurt nearly as much as I thought it would. The torch light on the other hand, THAT hurt.

"ARGH!" I snapped my eyes shut as my brain pulsated and my stomach heaved. I clenched my teeth and pursed my lips to keep what I hadn't eaten down. The door opened again and a familiar voice spoke softly.

"I felt father's power...how is she?"

"I could be worse, Rahab." I could feel more people enter the room.

"What is this, a family get together?" Raine asked jokingly. Someone coughed, rather sheepishly.

"Well, father is...busy." The voice was unfamiliar.

"Who was that?" Raine laid a hand on my shoulder; I could tell it was hers because it was smaller, and warmer.

"Melchiah."

{Melchiah.}

[Bless you.]

{That is his name.}

I started to laugh, but my head shrunk eight sizes, effectively stopping my merriment and I silently cursed Kain. The dork, it wasn't any of his business anyway! I didn't get why he was freaking out about it.

"Is she really okay?" The youngest vampire asked. Someone laughed harshly and I winced as the sound rattled around my skull like marbles in a tin can.

"She's a human, they're like cockroaches. They can survive anything." I squeezed my eyes shut tighter. Silence sat there for a while before I decided to say something.

"That was a really bass-ackwards compliment Zephon."

"Please forgive him. He has no concept of manners." Raziel's voice was resigned, as if he'd learned this fact hundreds of years ago and had gotten used to it. I moved my arm, it didn't hurt, and the pain in my head was slowly receding.

"Raine, can I have my glasses please?" She pressed the now familiar frames into my hand and I slowly put them on, my eyes still closed. I took a deep breath and sat up, holding still for a few seconds to get rid of the dizziness. When I opened my eyes I had to stare for a moment to get my mind to process what I was seeing. Out of six lieutenants four were in the room with Raine and I. I saw Raine look around out of the corner of my eye.

"Where's Dumah?" I bit my lip and looked at Raziel. He looked away and shifted his weight uncomfortably. I turned to Zephon; he shrugged and proceeded to examine his claws. Which I found odd, I would have thought he'd WANT to brag about Dumah being a traitor...That meant of the four who knew, Kain, Raziel, Zephon and Me, apparently _I_ was going to be the one to tell Raine.

"Um...Dumah is...Well, he's dead."

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AN: oh dear. Torture for Kale and now poor Raine, but what has Moebius been up to? Is the Sarafan lord EVER going to show up? Where the hell is this going? Find out...next chapter...


	20. Rude Revelations

AN; Summer break and then Junior year started and...yeah...PLEASE FORGIVE ME! bows

Varewulf: guilty as charged! I'm really sorry it took so long, and I hope you have that broomstick handy.

StilesGirl: Yes he does have a nice ass doesn't he? Now, imagine him dancing to Livin La Vida Loca in nothing but those pants.

Lunatic Pandora1: Oh ye of little faith...

Chibi Lunnie: Thanks much! I was a little worried I'd made him to evil.

Disclaimer:....This HAS been in the previous chapters but in the interest of keeping my money, I DON'T OWN LEGACY OF KAIN!

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How did it come to this? I asked myself that a lot as I dodged Hylden claws. Tossed forward into Nosgoth's future, forced to eke out a living scavenging the leftovers of the demons now roaming the land. Forced to flee if challenged by anything non-human. It was a dark time for us. We lived in a cave, a strange cave; it was like a TV display at Best Buy. We could watch what was happening all over Nosgoth. But I didn't. I hadn't since I had seen my worst fear realized. Kale did though. She watched Kain change, from leader, to ruler, to dictator. It had worn her down, but still she had tried to cheer me up.

"Don't worry Raine! At least we know he's still alive."

"C'mon Raine! You can't miss him fighting Kain..."

"Hey Raine...He's on again."

We were there, because I had made a mistake. A stupid, moronic mistake.

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"D-dead?"

"Yeah...I meant to tell you earlier but..." But it had slipped her mind. I understood, but still I was angry and sad. HIS arms had stopped me from rushing into the flames. HE had carried me back to the Clan stronghold. And he was dead. I could barely force my mouth to ask the question.

"Why?" Kale looked down at the blankets.

"Treason."

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I'm not sure what made me do it. If it was an instinctive reaction, it was one I'd never before realized I possessed. If it wasn't...hell, I could always say the Hylden made me do it. Once Kale had recovered we were summoned to speak with Vorador. Janos was there as well. Kain had destroyed the mass and was on his way to the Hylden City. Vorador was eager to get rid of us, and fool that I was I spoke without thinking.

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"Chronoplast." Vorador's ears twitched as Kale gasped.

"Raine no!"

"What?"

"Send us to the Chronoplast." Janos fluffed his wings.

"I am not certain there iz such a place." Kale flashed them a grin that threatened to split her face in half.

"If you'll excuse us?"

"Certainly." Said Janos before Vorador could refuse. Kale's fingers dug into my arm as she dragged me to the other side of the large cavern.

"What are you doing?" She hissed.

"Why not stop Moebius now?" I whispered back. She looked at me through the thick crude lenses.

"How do you know he'll be there?" I shrugged.

"I just...have a feeling." She slid her thumb and forefinger up the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes with a sigh.

"Fine, but we'll need to take someone with us."

"No!" Her eyes snapped open.

"What do you MEAN no? We can't take him on by ourselves! Hell Raine You were kidnapped by him you KNOW how strong he is!"

"Kale his staff would make anyone we took with us easy targets."

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I had forgotten how cunning Moebius was, what a clever bastard, an excellent schemer. He'd baited a trap and I'd fallen for it. Ugh I could have KICKED myself!

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We arrived at the Chronoplast in a flash of light, both blinking afterimages out of our eyes. But we were too late; Moebius was in front of a shining portal, ready to go through.

"NO!" I sprinted after him as he disappeared into the vortex, Kale was shouting something but I couldn't hear her. I only knew that I had to catch him, only HE could give me the answers I needed. Looking back I should have known, but hindsight is always 20/20.

"RAINE! W-WAIT!" And then I was through. Scenery whirled around me as my momentum sent me into a tumble. I winced as my back hit the floor with a meaty thud my leg connecting with someone's back.

"Woman! We're leaving!" I opened my eyes to see Kain's face contorted in shock.

"Stop calling me that Zephon! I have a name!" then Dumah's arms were around me and we were zooming away, keeping to the shadows as much as possible.

"I thought you were back at the stronghold!" I thought about it...

"Er...actually...I think I'm escaping from the Sarafan castle about now..." There was silence... and then my brain kicked my mental ass.

"That's what you MEANT isn't it?! You ARE in league with Umah and Turel!" I struggled but he was a vampire, not much I could do there. I opened my mouth to scream and found myself gagged with a bloodstained standard.

"Euuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!" While I struggled to spit it out, we arrived back at the Sarafan stronghold, from the back.

"I see you have brought her back." Even as I heard that shriveled voice I could also make out the screams and shouts from the marketplace. I couldn't believe it was possible. All I'd gone through and here I was back in captivity, with Kale still in the Chronoplast the day after tomorrow!

"oo on't et awa if i- oo asard!" They both blinked at me and in desperation I lashed out my foot connecting with the time streamers chest. He stumbled back then growled.

_Do not harm her faithful servant, she will soon be converted._ I must say, it was then that I really panicked.

"ii ell ii ill! Oo on of a ish! I ate oo!" I don't remember whatever I said after that. Incoherent cursing most likely. I don't remember where they took me or how we got there, all I remembered was being dropped in a stone room, with one very small window about 30 feet up the wall, and one door. Dumah tossed me in, since he was no longer holding my hands I ripped the cloth out of my mouth.

"YOU &#ING SON OF A $!&!" I shoved myself up and ran for the door. A smiling Moebius slammed it right before I got to it. I crashed into the oak rebounding swearing even louder from the pain. I sat down in the middle of the hay strewn floor and tried to think of an escape.

I might have been there for a few hours or a few minutes, I was to worried to tell. when the door opened again I wasn't ready, I attempted to scramble to my feet only to discover that my leg had fallen asleep.

"Ha. Pitiful mortal." My eyes went the size of soup plates. That voice! That Echo! I looked at the walls and growled, I knew that glow...it was HIM!

"Such a pathetic creature." I forced myself to meet his gaze.

"Y-you're the one who's p-pathetic you parasite..." I had meant to sound angry and rebellious but instead I sounded more like a frightened child trying to make the monsters go away.

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AN: Yes its short I know, PLEASE forgive me! I meant to make it longer! But time...and essays and homework and flute and theater and...and. faints

Plot bunny:...Review.... (bares sharp pointy teeth) **_NOW!!_**


	21. Wierd Wakeup call

AN: I know I know! Junior Year…very busy very stressful, trust me. yes, the last chapter was MEANT to be confusing.

Disclaimer:….For the bazillionth time, I don't own it….

Chibi Lunnie: Yeah I know, I'm having a little trouble gluing the story together. Thanks for reviewing though!

Lunatic Pandora1: All shall be made clear in time…

(Chapter start)

I couldn't keep up with her, her legs were longer and she was in better shape, there was no way I could catch her. And then the Chronoplast made this strange sputtering noise. The dials began to change settings by themselves and I felt heavy, the room seemed to be shaking like belly dancer after to many cups of coffee but I couldn't feel it moving. I closed my eyes and that helped of a little while, until I felt myself being pulled toward something. I tried to brace myself and hold still but my feet kept moving. I opened my eyes to find that I was heading straight for the portal!

History is irredeemable.

Drop a stone into a rushing river,

The current simply courses around it,

And flows on as if the obstruction

were never there.

That quote was echoing in my head, and I knew then, Raine and I were merely pebbles, what we were doing wouldn't change anything. I'd like to say that I fought against the depression and won. But I didn't. It swallowed me completely. As that light got closer, I got more and more scared. I remembered what people had said about looking on the bright side. There was no Bright side. My only familiar face was missing; I was alone being drawn inexorably to what was most likely certain death and Kain would never know that I found him devastatingly attractive. Well, he already knew that but . . . there was more to it.

The light filled my vision and I closed my eyes as it became unbearably bright. To my surprise when the light faded I did not hear the voice of Moebius, or the hush of a building, I heard birds, running water in the distance. And nearby familiar voices…

"Hate me Raziel, but do it _Honestly_." Silence for a while, uncomfortable, like a student being chastised.

"I was presented with a Dilemma; let's call it a two sided coin. If the coin falls one way, I sacrifice myself and the Sarafan Lord is destroyed, but Moebius escapes and disappears into the time stream able to carry out the rest of his plans. If the coin lands on the reverse I refuse the duel and thus doom the pillars to collapse, and my people to war seemingly without end, either way, the game is _rigged._" I know that voice, I know that choice! Or…something like it…

"KAIN!" I was up in a flash shaking off the dizziness and throwing myself towards the voice. I came out to face what was, and probably still is, Raine's worst nightmare.

"Raziel! Oh my GOD! How did this happen?!" I looked at the tattered blue figure, his white eyes wide.

"It's not possible…" I turned around to see Kain, my heart nearly stopped and I took a step forward. Older, harder, bitter, all those words came to my mind and I had to work to find my voice.

"Kain…what?" I finally took the time to look around and my spirits plummeted. The pillars once pristine and white were gray and cracked; the sky was dark and full of thunderheads. I turned in place taking in the devastated surroundings, the smoking forest, and the debris. I turned back to Raziel who had his shroud down and pointed at me. I raised an eyebrow.

"Um…last time I checked I wasn't dead…"

"That can easily be remedied." I whirled around to find myself face to chest with Kain…Again.

"Have I ever told you I hate the fact that you're so much taller then me?" The murderous look in his eyes quickly informed me that this was NOT the time for wise cracks.

"He has gone to far this time, sending a doppelganger to mock me!" His claws were around my throat in an instant. I brought my hands up and grabbed the large hand as he pinned me to a pillar, my feet dangling off the ground.

"Da-mnit Kain! F-first my mind…..now…this?" I lashed out aiming for knees, low blows, ANYTHING. It was getting even more difficult to breath; my weight was fully working against me for the first time since my last chin up test in PE.

"Kain……let….go!" So this is what Lando felt like…I thought fuzzily. Though my vision began to darken, my glasses kept it in focus, I could see his face. Even snarling he was gorgeous. Then…the world went black.

_I don't want to die; not like this, not now oh please I don't want to die!_

_"Calm down Miss, you're not going to die, now hold still, we just need to finish this up…" My eyes shot open, my glasses, my regular ones, were on. A paramedic was standing over me._

_"Wha-?!" The man smiled._

_"Don't worry. We called your parents and your friend is in another ambulance." I couldn't believe it, what the hell was going on? Ambulance? But hadn't I been in Nosgoth? There was NO WAY all of that was some kind of weird hallucination! I was THERE, it was REAL….wasn't it? I couldn't think properly, my head was spinning, the ambulance was jostling and the paramedic was saying something about blood tests._

_"I need to go back…" This I knew, with utter certainty, Kain needed help, something had gone terribly wrong. But what could I do? A nearsighted nineteen year old, on her period, with no powers whatsoever, trying to help a Vampire…the entire concept was laughable! But I had to._

_"You need to relax till we get to the hospital."_

_"NO I need to go back NOW!" I tried to sit up; a cry tore its way out of my throat as a needle slipped out of my arm. My glasses clattered to the floor as I thrashed, trying to get off the table._

_"Pass me the sedative!" I yelped as something was jabbed into my arm. My blurred vision began to fuzz even more. This couldn't be real, I had to be rationalizing things right? I couldn't believe that it hadn't been real, Raine and I…We'd been through to much, suffered too much…_

_Kain…_

"Kain! Put her down!" I coughed and spluttered as my ass hit I knew you didn't….like the haircut, but…that was a little harsh." It hurt to talk; it felt like swallowing sand and gravel. I looked up through the thick heavy glasses and pushed the experience out of my mind, one hand rubbing my throat. His eyes met mine and I managed to force a smile.

"Where are you from?" I blinked.

"America." I winced, it REALLY hurt, but I didn't think I'd be getting a rest anytime soon. He growled and I stifled a sigh.

"Woman…"

"It's true, you know it is. The-" I coughed trying to clear my throat.

"The Chronoplast, Raine jumped in after Moebius, then it broke." I paused and swallowed a few times the pain slowly receding.

"She did WHAT?!"

"It BROKE?" I looked at Raziel, whose entire posture conveyed dismayed disbelief. Then back at Kain who looked rather skeptical.

"Yes it broke. Then it sucked me in." I took off the glasses to rub at the indentations left on my nose. My eyes drifted shut and my mind went back to the ambulance. Where was I really? Is it more likely that I'm dreaming all this in some drug induced sleep? But if that's so what caused it in the first place?

"I don't believe you." Kain, what was I worried about him for? He could take care of himself. I sighed leaving my eyes closed. For a second I could imagine it was just me and him at the pillars. I could just imagine leaning against him and pouring out my troubles…I quickly suppressed the image and looked at Raziel.

"How did it happen?" I nodded my head at his changed appearance. The fallen vampire lifted up a blue claw.

"After you two disappeared, we searched everywhere." His eyes narrowed.

"And, Dumah is alive." I had just settled my glasses back on.

"WHAT?!" I couldn't believe it, alive? HOW? I'd heard him die hadn't I?

"He and Turel caught me unawares. I'd…I'd had an evolution the day before."

"Your wings…" He stopped and turned to me eyes boring through me.

"You know of this?" I shook my head.

"It's complicated… please, continue."

"I was tired, resting in the stronghold, it happened so fast…" He took a deep breath and continued.

"They ripped them off, and threw me into the Abyss." His voice was cold a clinical, as if he were talking about some other Vampire. But his eyes burned, and I realized that the white glow, was his soul. His eyes truly were windows to his inner self.

"Raziel…I'm so sorry…"

"I don't need your pity!" I flinched and glared, how dare he? After all I had been through! I shoved myself upright.

"I said I was sorry! Not that I pitied you! I pity the slaves who die at the whims of the Hylden, I pity the humans who fall prey to the Sarafan's lies, I pity Moebius who believes he is truly doing what a God wishes him to! But _You_? No. I don't pity you. And neither would Raine, She'd just be thankful that you're safe." He whirled to face me.

"How would you know what she would think?" His voice was Ice. But I was too mad to care.

"Because she's my best friend! And she loves you! You…you…JERK!" I stormed past him not caring where I was headed.

"Wait."

"What now Kain? Don't you and Raziel have a fight to continue? Don't let ME stop you." My mood swings had struck again, leaving me bitter and depressed as I shoved myself over a rise in the terrain. Was I really in Nosgoth? Or was I in an ambulance after some accident? Was I imagining this? Was Raine here with me? Or was she dreaming something else? Had Moebius brought us here? Or our own imaginations? I had so many questions, and too few answers…

(chapter end)

AN: Yes…the evil uncertainty. Yes I know there are some plot errors, I'll fix them after all the chapters are done. Thank you for being so very patient. I love you all. The next update MIGHT be new years, or a little after…


	22. a Pithy Passing

AN; Oooooo! An update! Don't Ya'll feel special?

Disclaimer:….If you haven't figured it out by now…you're never going to….

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Cold. That's what I remember most about the dungeon. It was cold. And damp, everything sanctuary wasn't. Probably to make staying in it a real problem for vampires but lucky me! I was human so it was only extremely uncomfortable. I hadn't been there long when a commotion started up outside my door, Shouts about an intruder. I clambered to my feet and stumbled over to the door, rubbing my arms.

"Identify yourself!" A thud, a groan and a familiar wheezing.

"Kale?"

"Yeah…I'm…here… Gimme a…minute." A few clanks and muffled thuds later the door swung open, revealing a much disheveled Kale. Her hair was tangled and matted, her pants, new at the beginning of our stay were faded and torn, The shirt she'd liked so much, was now sleeveless and her bare arms sported numerous scratches.

"What the hell happened to YOU?" She growled, uncannily like Kain, and grabbed my wrist.

"AFTER we get out of here, come on!" the hallway was miraculously empty. I looked at the crumpled body of the guard.

"Kale…what did you-?" She showed me a bloody hand.

"I think I broke his nose. Wussy guards can't take a little pain." The guard moaned and stirred. We both looked at him wide eyed for a moment, then turned as one and sprinted down the hallway. I let Kale lead, even though she'd stop occasionally to catch her breath. I recognized some of the building from watching her play Soul Reaver 2, and I knew where she was taking us. We slipped through the large doors just as a patrol of Sarafan entered the Hallway. There was no way out except one.

"Kale it's dangerous! We don't know when we could end up!" But even as I spoke we were striding towards the other set of doors, past the seeing basin.

"It's the…only chance we've got…of getting out…alive." We shoved open the doors and went to the dials.

"They're already set..." I growled in frustration, stress blurring the markings together.

"But I can't tell for what time!" The outer doors swung open, slamming into the walls with a _BANG! _We whirled around to see heavily armed men running towards us.

"THERE THEY ARE!"

"Who CARES!" Kale grabbed the lever and twisted.

The smoke was exactly like in the game, but when it cleared I wasn't in the Sarafan castle, I was in a bed, a bed that wasn't MINE.

"Owww…" I winced, my throat hurt like hell. As if I hadn't used it in a long time. A man dressed in a hospital uniform was suddenly by my side, checking a clipboard.

"Well miss! We were wondering if you were going to wake up." His smile was cheerful but something was wrong…VERY wrong…

"Where-" I coughed.

"Where am I?" he smiled.

"The hospital. That was a nasty accident you and your friend had." I was mystified.

"Accident? What accident?" The medic frowned.

"Hmm…signs of Amnesia, that's not good. Do you remember your name?" I looked at him as if another head had sprouted from his shoulders.

"Yeah…" But for some reason I didn't want to tell him what it was, he just…scared me.

"Raine! Get up!" I felt my body shudder and arch up as if I'd heard my alarm clock go off. My eyes closed and snapped open; I was back in Nosgoth, in the same Sarafan room, but older, more crumbled. The time streaming device was gone, as if it had never existed, but rubble strewn about gave lie to that thought. Kale's eyes were boring into me.

"You saw it too…didn't you?" I sat up.

"What the hell was it?" Kale shook her head. Matted hair swaying.

"I don't know, maybe an illusion, maybe what's really going on."

"But…how do we know? I mean…How do I know you're not a figment of my imagination?" She rolled her eyes.

"I only know that I'm real, I've bee wondering if _you're_ real. But worrying about it isn't going to get us anywhere." And so we left the remains of the Time streaming chamber, only to discover that it was the ONLY part of the stronghold still standing. We had been propelled far past Kain's decayed empire. And the wasteland stretching before us seemed to go on forever.

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We used the chamber as our base, over time we grew accustomed to the sunless days, and eerie nights. Our first fight with a demon nearly killed us both, but with the rusted weapons of the Sarafan army we survived. We survived and grew stronger. Kale found a way to make armor from the hide of the demons, and weapons from the claws.

We ate what we could. Let me tell you, demon meat is DISGUSTING. But there were always rodents, sometimes we thought we heard human screams in the distance, but we never dared venture to far, in the beginning anyway. But eventually our territory began to expand, demons avoided the borders and we had to go hunting for supplies. I don't remember how long we slowly advanced across that loathsome world, but I do remember what we found at the former site of the pillars.

"What the-?" It appeared to be of Hylden design, a human shaped hollow now graced the marble floor, but it was the shifting pictures in the air that caught my attention.

Kale began inspecting the hollow as I studied the pictures. There was one, of Kain, awakening in Meridian…another of him and my fallen Raziel, fighting. Yet another depicted him shaking Moebius, and one showed fallen Raziel dispatching what looked like…Zephon…devolved. I called Kale over and she and I watched as events unfolded, but always shifted from one picture to another, it looked like a scene selection menu from a DVD.

We returned often, and sometimes I couldn't watch. Especially when I saw Dumah and Turel throw Raziel into the abyss. Kale tried her best to comfort me, saying it was thanks to him that she'd been able to rescue me. But that was cold comfort.

The longer I studied the pictures the more I came to believe it to be time traveling device. But how to power it? That was the problem. I knew it had something to do with the indentation on the floor but every time I thought I came close to an answer we had to leave before returning Hylden, or a pack of demons caught us.

One day…we were to slow.

"Raine, calm down."

"NO! I _NEED_ to figure out how this works!"

"Like this, pitiful human." I brought my spear up, and Kale whirled around, lashing out with her claw sword but the Hylden laughed and grabbed her by the throat.

"Kale!" I heard her neck snap. I know I screamed as she was thrown into the hollow, but then the pictures lit up all around pictures of the past and future began glowing, and in one, a familiar face, younger, without scars flashed and I lunged for it, barely avoiding the monsters claws.

Darkness overcame me.

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When I could see again I was face to face with Kale, younger, and less worn.

"Who-?" I waved a hand to silence her.

"Listen to me, find the time streaming device in the swamp. Go to the past, stop me from following Moebius. We MUST NOT LEAVE. Understand?" Her eyes were wide behind the thick lenses. But she nodded.

"What happ-" A crack behind me alerted me even before her short shriek, and I ducked just in time to avoid having my head ripped from my body.

"GO!" She scrambled back, yelling for someone, I turned and faced the Hylden mage.

"Now you die human." I felt a manic grin spread across my face.

"Then I take you with me!" His claws sliced my armor, but my spear caught his other arm. I was faintly aware of voices in the background, one I had been yearning to hear.

"Raine!" I couldn't help it, I twitched. In that moment the beast got past my guard, and I knew I was dead. I saw Kain dispatch the thing, but it was Raziel's face that filled my vision when it fell.

"Raine…" I smiled.

"I'm glad…you're alive…Raz…" His glowing eyes widened as I managed to bring a hand up to his abused visage.

"Help Kale…Need to…" I stifled a cough, and felt a draft on my insides. I clenched my eyes shut to try and ignore the growing ringing in my ears.

"Re-write…history…" And then, I couldn't talk anymore.

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AN: BWA-HA! I know, I know, Crappy death scene, don't hurt me...Much Kudos to FNDC, and all the peeps there who helped my recover my inspiration. Especially Jill.


	23. Bouncing back

AN: Short I know but it's a double…

Disclaimer:….HONESTLY!

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I couldn't believe it…she'd…I mean…I knew she was dying, but then, she'd just…stopped. Raziel was stunned, staring at the corpse who had been my best friend just a moment ago. Kain was looking pretty startled as well. I needed to have hysterics, badly. But I pushed it down, and bent to pick up her spear. It looked be made out of petrified wood for the handle, and an electric demon's claw. The solid weight, too heavy for me really, made up my mind.

"I'm going to do it." Both Vampires looked at me as if seeing me for the first time.

"What?" I jerked my head up.

"I'm going to re-write history." Raziel shook himself.

"I'll help." Kain looked at us both.

"It will never work." My lips curled in a sneer.

"Your fatalism is tiring Kain." He glared at me,

"And profoundly ingrained, girl. Your betrayal-"

"My WHAT?" This was news to me. Once again I found myself glaring up into eyes I didn't want to fight. There was too much; I shook my head and avoided looking at Rai-no, I didn't dare think about it as her.

"Who told you I betrayed you? Who DARED?" Golden eyes, deep, hard, angry.

"Umah." I couldn't believe it, he'd believed _Umah_ of all vampires!

"You BELIEVED her! She kidnapped Raine!" His lips curled into a sneer.

"She got rid of a burdensome human who was plotting to destroy all I'd worked for." I couldn't understand it. It wasn't like him, but I knew I shouldn't have been surprised, after all I'd heard it from Raine when she beat Blood Omen 2.

(You have to understand, she's probably the first female Vampire he's seen that he hasn't had to kill. And there's just…something about her. She has this, this pull. You want to trust her; you _want_ to believe that she genuinely wants to help. And so you do as she says, you get beat to shit, but when she congratulates you it just makes it all better. You know? And then there's…)

(What? There's what?)

(There's the fact that he loved her…)

I knew I couldn't fight every battle. Someone had died, and I could keep that from happening.

"You know what…I don't care anymore. We tried to help, and R…_she_ DIED." My vision blurred, tears or shock I didn't know. I turned to Raziel.

"Let's go…"

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And somehow I ended up back in the keep with the weight of History fighting my hand as I turned the third dial back farther.

"Raz!" The distortion was thick, nauseating. He looked blurred, fuzzy around the edges, as if my glasses had stopped working.

"Tell him…" No words were needed.

"I will." I managed to stumble over to the lever and twist. I felt myself begin to hover, but I knew unless I wanted to end up back in the keep I had to move farther up. Before I completely left the ground I pushed with my toes.

That little bit of momentum propelled me past the first current, up to a stream of light. A flash of blood-like purple went by and I knew it was Moebius, holding out my arms I collided with the blue and yellow blur that followed propelling us both out of the portal and into a familiar chamber.

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The floor was hard and the stairs were worse. I could feel something breaking as History again bent and buckled. Somehow I managed to catch sky blue eyes.

"Listen to me! Raziel is in trouble! Get to the stronghold, take help. Dumah and Turel are there. Don't let Raziel fall!" Then History found it's new course and the Chronoplast broke.

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AN: Wow…weird huh? Many Kudos to Jill.


	24. Elevated Exposition

AN: The promised second chapter

Disclaimer:…….I'm not gonna bother, you KNOW the drill.

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I opened my eyes to find myself pinned under the Kale I had contacted.

"Listen to me! Raziel is in trouble! Get to the stronghold, take help. Dumah and Turel are there. Don't let Raziel fall!" Then History reshuffled itself. I felt like I was being stretched up, yet held down at the same time. Then she was gone as history straightened out the Paradox and the Chronoplast began falling apart. I scrambled up wondering how I could be so calm. I could remember seeing her die but…it was like seeing it on TV, not real…Kale herself, the only one left now, looked just as confused as I felt.

"Come on!" I yelled as the portal expanded dangerously. She shook herself and followed me out of the slightly open doors as the machine collapsed behind us with a rumble.

"Now what?" Trust Kale to ask the difficult questions.

"We go to Sanctuary, and-"

"I know THAT. I meant how do we get there. It's not exactly a walk in the park." I turned to say something cutting and caught her in the act of rubbing her throat. The vague look in her eyes told me she was recalling something unpleasant, and I could guess what.

"I'm sorry." She flashed me a weak smile.

"You know, it's weird. Before we got here, I thought college was tough. But this?" She gestured to the cave, and the Cauldron faintly visible down the tunnel.

"Dees 'en Nutsy." I nodded kneading my stomach. I could feel, faintly, the claws ripping through my flesh…

"Well we're not getting anything done standing around here." She raised one shoulder in a shrug and started forward. Our period boots shsshed softly against the hewn stone floor, but something was niggling in the back of my brain. Something…important…

"Wasn't someone in these caves?" The minute the words left her mouth I remembered. Moebius, the "Oracle". The sound of sheets snapping in the wind floated to our ears, we both froze pressing ourselves up against the wall.

"Hallo?" I felt my chest clench and rise at the same time. We were down the tunnel like shots from an Anaconda .48. The name of our savior was torn from our throats by happiness and hysteria.

"JANOS!" Large blue arms opened to us and I swear I felt like a kid again. Held against a broad chest, safe…it had been so long since I'd been safe…or had it? I was having trouble remembering…here we'd only been gone…not even a day! Kale managed to pull herself away first, I'm not sure how. She's an admitted snugglewhore; she'll curl up in your lap just to have fingers running through her hair.

"Janos, we need to get to the Clan stronghold! Turel and Dumah are going to toss Raziel in to the abyss!" That sobered me up fast and I pushed away from him.

"God she's right! We need to stop them!" Blue talons closed on my upper arm.

"Calmly, tell me vhat has transpired…" Kale shook her head vehemently and I was scared that she was closer to hysterics than I'd thought, but doing mental math in my head I realized, that if we were going by time, she was probably still on her period…But it truly hit me then that Raziel WAS in danger and my own head began to shake.

"No, no! We HAVE to save him! We _HAVE TO_!" Had it occurred to me to wonder about my own state of mind I probably would have realized how close _I_ was to hysteria.

"If we don't the war will continue for a thousands of years!" I could tell we weren't making any sense so I put a hand on Kale's shoulder and we stared at eachother for awhile, just stared, nothing special, just affirming that we were alive, and together. I know that sounds weird, but it's true, we just stared for like a good three minutes. I think Janos was getting worried by the time we snapped out of it. Kale took on the role of spokesperson.

"If Raziel falls, Kain will refuse the fight against the champion Sarafan and doom Nosgoth to a millennia long war. I don't know what will happen if we keep Raz a vamp, but we've gotta try." Janos nodded.

"You are right, but…there are wards here, I cannot teleport in or out, I was forced to fly."

"Could you carry one of us?" He nodded. Kale turned and jerked her head towards him.

"Go. I'll stay here." I bit my lip.

"But," I waved a hand vaguely, almost hitting Janos.

"Will you be okay?" She grinned and shook her head.

"No, but what's more important? My cramps, or your prince Charming?" I managed a weak smile.

"At least he won't cheat on me with snow white…"

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That's how I ended up about five miles up in the air, freezing my ass off.

"h-h-How much long-g-ger?" The wind whipped the words out of my mouth and I resolutely kept my eyes clenched shut to keep from looking down.

"We are almost there, though I confess I am not comfortable leavink you friend to her own devices." I felt guilt gnaw at my gut.

"She'll be fine…" But I wasn't sure. Moebius could return at any time, and we no longer had swords…or had we ever had them to begin with? All this time travel was giving me a migraine…

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AN: Please review…don't leave me alone…TT

Oh well. It's fun to update occasionally. :)


	25. Pointless panicking

AN: …sniffle I finally get off my lazy ass…and it's to short! You'll all hate MEEEE!

Disclaimer:…..How many times have I said this? Oh well. I don't own it. Go somewhere else to sue.

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I watched them go, their awkward silhouette fading into the blue/gray haze that shrouds the distance no matter where, or when, you are. It was then my cramps decided to return with a vengeance, the cold acting as a spur, driving me to an even higher level of discomfort.

The fire underneath the huge cauldron was warm though and I hid behind the iron monstrosity, shielding myself from the wind, and from the sight of any who should make it this far. Of course I made up for that.

"….one hundred bottles of Miiidol, one hundred bottles of good, Take one down pass it around, ninenty nine bottles left for da hood. Ninenty nine bottles of Miiidol…" That passed the time and my cramps gradually faded until by twenty five bottles they were bearable.

"By the REAVER! What is that noise? It sounds like a dying cat." I shot up, and promptly fell over, my legs having gone to sleep and my cramps returning with a vengeance. I knew that voice.

"Melchiah!" Suddenly cool arms were around me.

"Kale! You're alright!" I winced as they squeezed.

"Rahab…I need…Air…" The slightly clammy arms retreated hurriedly and I blinked up into familiar dark eyes.

"Sorry, sorry." I grinned

"Nah, S'all good." A snuffling noise nudged its way into my consciousness. I turned to face Melchiah.

"What're you doing?"

"Are you okay? I smell…" He inhaled deeply chest expanding, new skin stretching taut.

"Blood." I had to resist the urge to waste any of the precious remaining fluid in a blush.

"Yes, my Purification is not yet complete." Both of them swallowed and looked away uncomfortably. Rahab cleared his throat.

"Ah." Exhaustion hit me like a freight train and the room began to tilt, rocking like a ship at sea.

"We need…to get to Kain…Raz needs help." I wasn't sure why Rahab wasn't standing still. But it was making it harder to focus.

"Turel 'n Dumah…'byss." My eyes were closing, I couldn't keep them open. Warmth spread through me as a yawn stretched my jaw to the breaking point.

"Sleep…good…" Then, I'm ashamed to say, I blacked out.

I woke up to the uncomfortable sensation of a shoulder digging into my stomach, the bloated feeling in my face that comes from hanging upside down to long, as well as a vague sense of Déjà vu.

"Ugh…" The world spun and I choked back bile as I was unceremoniously dumped.

"Finally!" Melchiah's voice was dry and brittle. I blinked but the world refused to resolve itself. I waved a hand in front of my face patting my nose.

"My glasses! I've lost my glasses!" For a few moments I could almost imagine myself in a short brownish skirt and a bulky orange sweater patting at the ground. Cool hands pulled me up setting the hard frames onto my abused nose.

"Shh, something's not right…" I looked up at the outer walls of Kain's stronghold. Not much seemed to have changed, but shouts and curses floated over the wall.

"Put your backs into it!" Something slammed into something else and the noise reverberated, traveling from the ground to the soles of my feet.

"The hell-?" Then there was an explosion and a large chunk of stone sailed over the wall, crushing a tree some distance away; but even my damaged eyes could make out the carvings.

"We're almost through!" It was part of the humongous doors leading to Kain's throne room.

"Holy Battering Rams batman!" I grabbed Rahab's arm as he made to go past me.

"No! We can't just go barging in the front door…" I chewed my lip trying to ignore my cramps long enough to come up with a suitable course of action.

Step one; Identify the problem. Multiple people are trying to break into Kain's throne room.

Step two; What needs doing? Raziel needs to be rescued, and beating the intruders would be a plus. But I didn't know how long it had been since Raine had left, SURELY she and Janos had arrived by now…

Step three; Develop a plan. Easier said then done…

I looked up and groaned, the cloud covered sky gave no indication of time.

"How long did it take us to get here?" Rahab's inner eyelids flickered as he blinked.

"Not much more than a day…" More then enough time for Raine to arrive, but then who was-?

"erk…" I can't believe even now that it took me as long as it did to figure out what was happening.

"Dumah and Turel are trying to get to Raine, Raziel and Janos!" Though Janos might have left to get help, not willingly, but Raine could be a persuasive dog daughter when she wanted to be. I had no clue what to do next but Rahab was looking lost and Melchiah was just standing there, skin dry and flaking. I have to admit my thoughts about the youngest and 3rd youngest lieutenants were not kind at that moment.

"Okay, is there a back way-no, stupid question. If there was either Raziel or Turel would have used it by now." Or maybe Raziel had and he and Raine were far away and I was going to put us in danger for nothing.

"…" I could feel the grin slipping across my face, the excited/embarrassed blush that had caused me so much trouble in high school turning it red, as my adrenalin level sky-rocketed.

"Well! It looks like we go in Metal Gear style!"

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AN: Would you all hate me less if I told you It was my senior year? Probably not. For those of you sticking with this…I'm sorry it's so short and that it's taken so long, I hope to have more out later…please don't give up on me…Please?


	26. Rescuing Raziel

AN: Well it's my fourth weekend at college, Thanks to people who reviewed other stories telling me to get my but in gear on this one. YOU ARE ADORED!

Disclaimer: ...If you don't get it by now…You're stupid. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.

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Having worked on a plan on the way to the way to the stronghold Janos dropped me off via the open ceiling in Kain's throne room and winged it to the abyss. As much as I wanted to save his wings, saving his unlife came first, everything else could be healed.

But first things first. I ran to the door cursing my lack of strength, and sneakers, as I struggled to close the gigantic stone doors. Shouts and curses informed me that Raziel had indeed been rescued and I redoubled my efforts only to fall forward as the doors were slammed shut.

"You are all fools." I couldn't help but stare in shock.

"Vorador! When did you-? WHY did you-?" His clawed hand clamped around my arm, pulling me back towards Kain's throne.

"Did you honestly think I'd allow an ally of mine to fall prey to mere human cattle?"

"Umm..." And then I was saved by an angel. All right an Ancient vampire but at the time...

"Janos! Is he alright?" Blue claws gently set Raziel's prone figure on the throne.

"He was injured, in the scuffle. But it is nothing time cannot cure." Vorador snorted.

"You assume we'll _have_ that time." The doors rattled, and the shouts of the Vampires and Sarafan increased in volume. The old blood suckers started arguing softly about something but I was really only worried about Raz. His wings were bent at odd angles. The bones were broken, but the membrane was, thankfully, still intact.

"Hey, Raz? Can you hear me? Twitch twice for yes, once for no." Two feeble finger flicks later I was holding an armful of wounded Vampire.

"You're okay! You're okay!"

"He won't be if you keep smothering him woman." I ignored the green skinned vampire's remark. There's nothing like losing someone to show you how much you need them.

"God, I was so worried." While I'd been hoping for it, I hadn't expected the arm curling around my shoulder.

"So was I."

"We do not have time to sit here and-"

"THE ORACLE SPEAKS!" The incessant shouting from the Sarfan faded away.

"THE LORD OF MURDER SHALL PERISH! BUT IN HIS WAKE HE SHALL SPAWN A SCORE OF MORTAL PROGENY, CHAOS SHALL BE SOWN FROM THEIR PASSAGE! SO SAYETH THE WISE ALANDO!" I knew that voice. I knew that quote. And the only person around here besides me who knew Baldur's gate was...

"Kale..." I stood.

"Get ready guys..."

"THESE SONS OF THE MURDERER ARE AMONG YOU!" I closed my eyes. This was going to get messy.

"Get ready to open the gate and make a run for it." Vorador looked at me incredulously, but I knew Kale. She'd discussed this idea once, watching me play Blood Omen two.

( "When you take over a person's brain can you make them act all crazy?"

"Kale, it doesn't work like that."

"Well...how about throwing your voice so it _sounds_ like their crazy?"

"...I think that throwing his voice is one talent Kain does not possess."

"Well shit, what good is he then?" )

"THE VAMPIRES HAVE SUBVERTED YOU MY BRETHREN! OBSERVE!" And the sounds of screaming men tore the air.

"Now!" Janos scooped up Raziel as Vorador sprang to the granite doors, slamming them open as if they weighed less than nothing. The fighting outside was worse then the fire in Dumah's territory. The dead and dying were everywhere, vampire and Sarafan alike. A waving arm, strangely constant, caught my eye.

"There!" It felt like my voice wasn't even there compared to the screams of the wounded, and the shouts of the fighters. But they must've heard me anyway because Janos passed me, and Vorador was grabbing me, and suddenly we were next to a Sarafan priestess, with hair...and really strange looking eyewear.

"Kale?" The priestess grinned.

"Eh-heh. Yeah." She turned to Janos.

"Sorry about the whole 'Lord of Murder' thing. It was the only thing I could come up with." Two blood-stained Glyph Knights materialized next to us, barely avoiding Vorador's claws.

"It's us!" A bald head was revealed as the skull cap helmet was sliced in two, and pale blue, webbed hands came up in the universal gesture of surrender.

"Melchiah? Rahab? How did you-?" Kale was hopping from foot to foot.

"No time to explain! C'mon c'mon c'mon!" Have you ever run next to someone in armor? It's loud, Really loud...like... 'how the fuck could they NOT hear us' loud. But there were bigger problems.

"Where are we headed?" Melchiah flexed, snapping his armor off as Rahab began shucking his piece by piece.

"To the kitchens, the sewers go everywhere, we should be able to get to a safe haven." We skidded 'round the last corner to come face to face with a returning Vampire patrol. There was a split second of indecision as they registered our appearance but Kale, Rahab and Melchiah were already running down a side corridor, giving the rest of us no choice but to follow. I managed a deep breath.

"Now. What. Genius?" Kale jerked her head at Vorador, gasping for breath.

"He's the...brains...sweetheart." I couldn't help it, I started laughing.

"You do...realize...we're quoting movies...in a place that hasn't invented the VCR?" She grinned back at me and yelped, careening off a pillar and into Rahab, who stumbled into Janos, who, in his efforts to not drop Raziel, flexed his wings, effectively gut punching Vorador, who's arm clipped my side, sending me reeling. Our tangle of legs, wings, claws, arms, and clothes caught on remaining pieces of armor, staggered down a side hall and we collapsed at an unfamiliar intersection.

"...Now which way do we go?" Three choices. Left, Right, and Back.

"Well, we can't go back." Raziel snorted at the redundancy of his brother's statement.

"So which way?" I wiggled trying to untangle my leg from Janos's robe. Kale turned to Rahab, twisting to get her arm out from under Vorador's leg.

"Got a coin?" Laaaaaaauuugh I thought I'd die.

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AN: Gah, that took forever. And it's short. I'm sorry, college is time consuming... I hope you enjoy this. I'll try and be faster with the next chapter, but no promises.


	27. Plans and pissing contests

1AN: Alright Speedy Gonzales I'm not. Anyone remember that cartoon? Thanks to ASR for kicking my ass into gear.

Disclaimer:...Okay, for those of you just joining us, (Snort), I DON'T OWN EDIOS, CRYSTAL DYNAMICS OR LEGACY OF KAIN.

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Sneaking into a fortress crawling with evil vampires and religious fanatics is harder than it sounds...Seriously!

"Can you two take down a priestess?"

"...Maybe."

"What do you mean 'Maybe'?" Now imagine this conversation is occurring as you're pressed up against the wall, and the next patrol is due to pass by in less than half a minute. Yeah...Let's just say multiple corridors and one wooden crate later we had two sets of Glyph armor and a Priestess's robes.

Don't Ask.

The only thing left to do was to cause a big enough distraction to get Raine and the others out of throne room, and for all of us to escape in one piece. Easy, Right?

Wrong.

"So all we have to do is make them attack _each other_."

"How?" Deep breaths, counting to ten.

"You know you could help me come up with something Rahab." His grin was sharp. I could tell he was still bitter about being used as bait to get the robe.

"But you're doing so well on your own." So after a few minutes of wracking my brain it came to me. Vampires hate Sarafan, Sarafan loathe vampires, the truce they were working under had to be shaky, we'd seen evidence of that before. So all we had to do was break what little trust they had. Let me see if I can re-construct my chain of thought for you.

Myselfgeek.

GeekdomVideo games.

Myself+Video gamesQuotes.

Myself+Quotes+Priestess DisguiseProphecy.

Myself+Prophecy Demagogue.

DemagogueChaos.

So I picked the quote likely to cause the most panic. Sending Rahab and Melchiah to the back of the Sarafan ranks before shouting at the top of my lungs.

"THE ORACLE SPEAKS!" The racket from the shouting, and the battering ram slowly came to a halt.

"THE LORD OF MURDER SHALL PERISH! BUT IN HIS WAKE HE SHALL SPAWN A SCORE OF MORTAL PROGENY, CHAOS SHALL BE SOWN FROM THEIR PASSAGE! SO SAYETH THE WISE ALANDO!" I prayed that Rahab and Melchiah were ready for their cue, plunging ahead.

"THESE SONS OF THE MURDERER ARE AMONG YOU! THE VAMPIRES HAVE SUBVERTED YOU MY BRETHREN! OBSERVE!" And the slaughter began. I'm not ashamed to say that I found myself a quiet corner to throw up in, but I managed to pull myself together as the doors of Kain's throne room slammed open, my friends, old and new, rushing into the melee.

They say War is chaos. They're right, whoever the hell 'they' are. So, to make a long story short we managed to get away from the main fight, only to run into the one patrol that hadn't gotten called in. I felt like Han Solo. You know? That moment on the Death Star when he runs into all those storm troopers? And then my latent clumsiness decided to rear it's ugly head. I'd always imagined being pinned under a hard muscled body, maybe even two in my wilder fantasies, but I did not enjoy being squashed by six of them.

"Well, we can't go back." I ignored Melchiah and concentrated on lifting myself up high enough to look down each hallway.

"So which way?" Raine asked as she wiggled trying to untangle her leg from Janos's robe. I turned to Rahab, twisting to get my arm out from under Vorador's leg.

"Got a coin?" Silence. Then everyone proceeded to try and untangle themselves before the patrol caught up with us

"It's funny, cause you think I'm joking." I was of course, but I hate being ignored.

"We must split up into two groups."

"No." Vorador glared at me.

"We don't have time for your insecurities woman!" I glared back.

"Fine Vorador! Janos, Rahab and Melchiah will go with you. Raine, Raziel and I will go with Kain." A feral snarl split the air as the clanging of armored troops got closer.

"What makes you think _You're_ in charge, woman!" I had to fight the futile urge to punch Kain. It wouldn't have done anything except make me feel better.

"Fine. What do YOU suggest we do?" The white haired vampire turned to Vorador.

"You and Janos take Melchiah and Rahab, go to the swamp. I and the humans will take Raziel and meet you there one fortnight from now." The green skinned bloodsucker nodded and pelted down the left corridor, Rahab and Melchiah followed. Janos handed Raziel to Kain before running after them. I gnashed my teeth, nails digging into my palms as the Sarafan entered the far end of the hall.

"Tell me, O Mighty One, just what the _Hell_, besides time and location, made that ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT _I_ SAID?!"

"_I_ said it." And he was jogging along the right hand corridor. Raine sprinted after him.

"Bastard." I followed.

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Don't ask how we got away, I have no memory of it. I think I repressed it. All I know was that when we finally stopped running, I barfed.

"Kain, we need to stop, I can't run anymore and Kale's half dead!" I wiped my mouth wishing for clean water.

"Three fourths at least..."

"There is a cave not much farther. We'll rest there." I looked up, we were at the mouth of a canyon leading to a large industrial city. Raine surveyed our surroundings as I focused on keeping my legs from giving out.

"You can't mean the caves used to search merchants..." The growl was exasperated.

"I refuse to put up with constant insubordination." And he was off again. I patted my thighs in an attempt to give them some pep.

"Come on feet, If Raziel can deal with getting his wings mangled you can walk another few meters or so." ...nope. The appendages weren't buying it; So like any sensible human being with rebellious body parts, I sat down.

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AN: Happy Singles Awareness Day. Or as you Cheerful types call it, Valentines day. Thanks to ASR (You know who you are) this is getting posted before summer vacation, and another chapter should be up before the end of February.


	28. Quitters and Quotes

AN: yay, another chapter...eh...

DISCLAIMER: Please tell me you know it by now...please?

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When you've known someone for awhile you start to pick up on their little quirks. The angle they tilt their head to show they're joking, the way their back stiffens if you piss them off, and you especially know when they will not budge another inch.

"Kale-"

"Nope."

"Just a few-"

"Nu-uh."

"It's not THAT fa-"

"No." Time to bring out the big guns.

"I'll let you borrow the entire series of Fuushigi Yuugi when we get home." I could see the indecision on her face, then she sighed, smiling apologetically.

"Sorry Raine. I'd keep going if I could, but I can't move my legs."

"VAE VICTUS!" We stared wide eyed at eachother for about a second as the sound of steel ringing on steel floated down the slope.

"Shit!" I ran without thinking, only to have myself encounter Raziel's body, mid air, sending us both flying backwards. From my ever so comfortable position on the ground I could see Kale try and force herself to stand, arms windmilling wildly as her legs gave out.

"Son of a BITCH!" She tried again as I began struggling with the literal dead weight on top of me.

"Surround him, quickly!"

"Is that the best you can do?"

"Now sister, now!" And then there was silence. Not the good 'It's over so I can relax now' silence. It was the 'Oh my god something's just gone unbelievably wrong, we just don't know what' silence. Usually only had after the perimeter guards have disappeared and before you see that triangle of red dots on somebody's chest.

"Kale?"

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"This is gonna sound really stupid..." I braced myself for it. I could almost see her sheepish grin.

"I've fallen...and I can't get up." I groaned softly.

"How 'bout you?" I struggled to inhale.

"I can't breathe 'cause Raz is crushing my ribs." We lay there in our separate positions for a few minutes.

"Hey Raine..."

"What?"

"Why are we whispering?" I pondered this for a moment, before speaking in a normal tone.

"I don't know."

"It certainly doesn't help you any." the gravelly voice rolled over me and I yelped flailing desperately to get out from under the maimed body of my crush. Suddenly the weight was gone and I scrambled to my feet, reaching for the unconscious form before my instincts caught up to my eyes. He was handsome enough. Not a gorgeous man like Raziel or Kain, but strong, with a proud chin. His pointed ears indicated his vampiric nature, but his eyes were yellow and cat-like.

"When you and my Lord didn't arrive I became worried. Where is he?" I ignored the question watching how he held Raz. Gently, cradling him, like an elder brother would. But Raziel was the first of Kain's lieutenants wasn't he?

Oh...

oh no...

it couldn't...

"Magnus?"

"Yes?"

It could. Kale let out an indignant squawk.

"No way! The Immolate guy?" I nodded, and we both looked him over.

"He looks better." I nodded again. He certainly did. Of course not being in that weird Eternal Prison had probably helped. But if he was here did that mean that we might run into Sebastian? Or Faustus? Hell we might even run into Marcus...ugh. I looked over at Kale wondering if the possibilities had hit her yet, but she was just sitting there, looking for all the world like she was about to shake to pieces.

"Kale?"

"He...hee..hee hee..."Like I said, after a while you get to recognize the signs.

"Alright, spit it out. What's so funny?"

" I will destroy you with my miiind!" That startled a laugh out of me. But I had a better one.

"Water is not my friend!" She let out a guffaw clutching her ribs. The elder vampire glared.

"You are here, strange as you are, but my Lord is not. Where has he hidden himself?" We lost it completely. Suddenly I was hauled up and shaken.

"Woman, speak now or I will rip it from your mind!" I knew that voice, I hated that voice, I hated the bells and the chapel and the stupid running back and forth and not being able to see.

"Put me down right NOW!" I lashed out with my feet, not that it did any good. I was really getting tired of not being able to fight anyone properly.

"Marcus! Release her! We had strict orders from Kain that they were to be unharmed!"

"EYAAAHHH! PUT ME DOWN YOU PERVERT!"

"Augh! My ears!" Marcus dropped me to cover his offended lobes and I managed to catch a glimpse of Kale being held by Faustus before the ground and I met again.

"Why hello, what's you're name? Dirt? Ah yes I believe we've met before." I grumbled pushing myself up.

"Hate to say goodbye so soon, but I really must be standing." As I stood I could see Kale was trying to beat Faustus over the head, and failing miserably. His face was simply not where her fists were.

"Too slow, fool." She growled.

"Just you wait 'till I get my hands on a flame thrower! We'll see who's to slow then you-! GET YOUR HAND OFF MY ASS!"

"Leave them...alone. All of you." I whirled to see Raziel sitting up in Magnus's arms.

"Raz!" I ran over and placed a hand to his forehead.

"Ohmigod...You're body temperature!" Magnus nodded.

"We must get them to Lord Vorador as soon as possible" A pale trembling arm wrapped around me, and the once winged vampire seemed to draw some strength from the contact.

"They are being pursued by the Sarafan, for what purpose I know not, but I believe Moebius expects them to mount a rescue for Lord Kain." A painful sounding cough rattled his frame.

"We must converse with Lord Vorador...at...once..." And he was out again. Damnit, I thought it was supposed to be GIRLS who fainted all the time.

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AN: ta da. Two chapters in one month. Maybe you'll get another one before the 4th of July. Again, thank ASR.


	29. Pathetic Planning

1AN: Hi all, New chapter. Fun fun!

Disclaimer: this is...what? The twentyith something chapter? I don't own it already!

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It was an exciting trip. Not.

We had to stop for five bathroom breaks. And let me tell you, it's not easy finding a bush big enough for a girl to do her business behind. Especially when you've got a pervert vampire trying to "Check up on you". If I'd had a flamethrower, or a lighter, a MATCH even-I would've singed his wandering claws sooooo badly! Of course Raine was to busy fawning over Raz to be much help...okay, so I'm being a little bitter, if it were Kain who was injured, I'd probably be a little useless too.

But I digress.

Termogent forest.

Smelly, dark, dank, depressing...Perfect place for Vampires.

Except for one little problem.

"Run!" Raine and I were left behind as the vampires sprinted into the mansion. And not a moment to soon, the thunder rumbled once more, and the dark clouds that had been following us unleashed a deluge. I pushed myself up from where Faustus had dropped me before he'd 'Jumped' to the door.

For a moment we both just stood there.

"Well. This feels familiar." I blinked, she was right, this felt eerily like...

"You mean we were here when we first showed up?" She shrugged, undoing her braid.

"I'm not saying we were right here, but nearby maybe?" I nodded mussing my own hair to let the water wash away the mud and soot and god only knows what else.

"Probably. Damn, thats kinda creepy." Then I noticed something else. Our clothes were still dry. Thinking about it, which took much longer than it should have, I realized that the rest of me was actually clean.

"Raine, I think Bianca might be alive." It took her a moment to remember who I was talking about.

"You mean the mage Alexis told us put spells on the clothes?" I nodded.

"I mean, 'cause the spells are still working, that mean's she's probably alive right? Which means that the others might be alive to!" It was a nice thought.

"But where are they then?" See? Thats why Raine is the brains, and I am the Random trivia container.

"Uh..."

"If you two are done dawdling." Vorador's voice was like ice cubes...with bugs in 'em. Yeah, that bad. His mansion was slightly better. Lush carpets, rich tapestries and gorgeous statues...that had glowing eyes.

"Hey, Vorador, these thing's aren't going to attack us are they?" His smile was surprisingly shark-like.

"Only if you try to go somewhere you shouldn't."

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We arrived in the middle of a rather heated debate.

"As the Guardian of Balance, Kain should be our first priority." Leave it to Janos to be thinking of the pillars.

"But the sarafan are gathering their army in Meridian, we should build up our own forces." It was a good idea, which was odd coming from Faustus.

"Only if we want them to know we have informants among them!" Leave it to Zephon to be as confrontational as possible.

"I say we should wait and see what happens." Markus, always so..._cautious_.

"While they have Lord Kain captive?!" Magnus brought up a good point. If the Sarafan did indeed have Kain, the results could be disastrous

"We have NO evidence that Lord Kain is in their hands. For now we should wait, and watch."

"You doubt me? I SAW the Sarafan take him!" I hate to say it, but Raziel wasn't looking to good. He was kinda yellow and splotchy, but he was sitting up on his own, which indicated at least some amount of healing had taken place.

"I do not doubt your eyes so much as your conviction. There are many mercenary groups who would not hesitate to trap one of our kind. We cannot proceed until we have all the facts." As much as I hated to agree with Vorador he was right. Rushing in without looking at the situation from all sides was just as stupid as trying to sneak past a hungry vampire on your period...not that I'd know anything about THAT right? Eh heh...Then...I had a plan, a stupid plan, a really dumb ass almost suicidal plan, but a plan nonetheless.

"But if the Sarafan WERE holding him, where do you suppose they'd keep him?"

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Yeah let's not go over what happened after that. It was loud, confrontational and rather accusatory and ended up with me being locked in a library on the second floor. Which believe it or not was where I'd wanted to be. It was the library that looked out to Avernus Cathedral, and I had a hunch that the Sarafan would have taken him there.

After all Mortanius had been Mobius's pawn in the beginning, he wouldn't expect the betrayal. Raine, being the fantastically smart woman that she is had caught on immediately and had yelled through the door that if I left that room and there were dire consequences, she would NOT be responsible. Now to anyone else it would have been an angry friend not making sense. But to a geeky twisted girl like me it was her way of saying 'Be Safe'.

Vampires as a species are arrogant creatures. They'd locked me in a second floor room, but left the windows open. Why? Because I'm human. I can garuntee you they'd have locked them if I were a vampire. So, using all of my courage and quite a bit of hutzpah that I didn't have, I jumped out the window.

On to a tree.

Of course the distance between the forest and the cathedral looks pretty small on a map, but off the map, it's a hella difficult walk. But hey, I was determined, and I knew vaguely where I was going.

Hey! It was enough for Prince Charming yeah?

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AN: I know I promised more but College is killing me. Along with this smog induced cold. So please, I beg patience, and reviews. The next chapter is one sixth of the way done. Again thanks to ASR.


	30. Burn Baby Burn

AN: Erm...I have no words to describe how sorry I am.

I DEDICATE THIS CHAPTER TO AZURA SOUL REAVER

DISCLAIMER: If I owned it, I wouldn't be having dry heaves over worrying how to pay rent.

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Due to a rigorous regimen of being carried and not getting enough sleep I knew she'd never even make the first mile. So I enlisted the help of the on vampire I never thought would repeat his mistake.

"Magnus, I need your help."

&

And sure enough we found her, not half a mile from the window. I'd explained to the young Vampire that we were going to save Kain, so Vorador could focus his resources on building his forces. Would you believe he's strong enough to carry both of us and still move at a pretty good clip? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, he did carry that huge machine on his back at the prison. With him it only took us a few hours to reach the town. Kale had woken up about four hours after we'd started moving, only to smile at me and say-

"I knew you cared." Getting to the town was the easy part. Getting through the town to the cathedral was going to be a tad difficult.

"Kale, there's no way in hell they're going to believe we're an acting troupe"

"Maybe we could say we're refugees from Meridian. I mean the Vamps are the good guys right?"

"Not in Avernus. This town was founded by the Sarafan's clergy and their biggest zealots are residents here." I made a face.

"So, it's pretty much like The Crucible."

"Blech, I hated that play." Kale gagged. Magnus just looked confused.

"I do not see how this helps us." I wanted to shake him. Of course it wasn't helpful; it was two girls trying to keep themselves sane despite being in a different world, with no special skills except the ability to some how keep from dying.

"Raine you're a GENIUS!" Kale tackled me, wrapping me in a bearhug.

"What?" I could practically see the gears turning behind her eyes.

"Pilgrims." Magnus seemed to get it, but I was still lost. What did thanksgiving have to do with anything?

"What?"

"We can be religious pilgrims!"

"How did you get that from 'The Crucible'?" She looked at me disbelievingly.

"Raine, did you pay attention AT ALL in American History?"

&

I looked at Magnus, clothed in dirty brown robes, hood covering his ears and a strip of cloth covering his eyes.

"They're never going to believe he's our brother." I looked at Kale.

"Hell, their never going to believe WE'RE related." She glared at me.

"We'll say you're adopted."

&

Wanna know how Avernus caught fire THIS time?

It's all Kale's fault. Oh she says it's not...but it is.

"Dude! They have a library!" I could have killed her, but I managed to keep my hands to myself, and my voice to a hiss.

"Kale! We're supposed to be looking for Kain." She glared at me.

"I know, _believe_ me I know. But this could help! Think about it, Kain was created with the Heart of Darkness right?" Magnus looked confused, or as confused as someone COULD look with a blindfold on, but I nodded.

"But Janos is alive! Now in Defiance we know Kain survived when the heart was ripped from his chest, but we don't know how."

"But in that reality Janos was dead." I pointed out.

"Exactly! Which means, in _this_ universe Kain was created some other way. I think if I can find some historical documents-" For a moment we both paused as Galaxy Quest flashed through our minds, Kale recovered first.

"Or records, of some of the attacks we might be closer to figuring out just what the hell is going on, and maybe what we're here for."

"We are here to find Lord Kain." I rolled my eyes and Kale facepalmed.

"Fine Magnus, you and I will look for Kain; Kale, YOU try and find out what's going on. If things go bad we'll follow Ian Malcolm's advice." Kale frowned slightly and I realized that for once, I had out nerded her.

"From which JP?"

"Lost World."

"...Oh." She winced and pushed the crude spectacles up her nose into a more comfortable position.

"Yeah, that's pretty appropriate." As we split up Magnus pretended to lean on me.

"What advice?"

"Follow the screaming."

Thirteen rooms and eight close calls later we were getting discouraged. It was impossible for us to open the secret cellar without the Soul Reaver.

"We need to go about this more systematically." I agreed, my feet were starting to hurt worse than before.

We never DID find Mortanius, but we did find a secret door. One of those fake book cases that I never thought I'd see outside of Scooby Doo, but there you go.

And what do yo think we found?

Not Kain, unfortunately, but we did find out where the Sarafan were holding their "Inquisition".

Imagine the goriest bloodiest scene from every horror movie you've ever watched. Thats what the walls looked like. Imagine those screams you heard, in every horror/survival flick you've ever seen, it's not even close to what it sounded like. Pain sounds different than terror, especially when it's real. Terror is strong and unabashed, Pain is a shriek that becomes a keening wail that you want to stop. You want it to stop because it churns in your guts and you want to run away until you never have to hear it again; but most of all you just want it to STOP.

And then I saw the tools they were using.

I shot out of there like a bat out of hell. Magnus didn't catch up with me until I was ourside, in front of the Cathedral doors panting like a champion prank caller. I had pushed everything aside but the need to breath until Magnus opened his mouth.

"Are you alright?" In a split second my brain had shown me why I wouldn't be, and I beat feet to the alley across the road, bracing myself against a wall just before I lost my lunch...and breakfast...and stomach...and lungs...and oh god I WISHED my brain would follow, but it didn't.

Suddenly I wasn't just hearing screams in my head anymore. They were filling the streets along with cries from the guards we had so easily bypassed before.

"What's going on?" Another spasm shook me and the sound of my retching drowned out the first part of his reply.

" -ire in the Library."

"Wha-?!" I forced myself up and away from the mess I'd made, just in time to see Kale leap from the second floor window, tumbling onto the roof of the stables before falling through, a small bit of fire trailing behind her. I could only imagined what happened next, even though she told me later. Her robe on fire as she fell into the hay loft, the desperate struggle to get free of it and keep the precious manuscripts she had stolen from burning as the hay around her went up like tinder. I don't know how she got down, and she says she doesn't remember. But I saw her running as the horses burst from through the wooden doors.

Magnus, bless his undead soul wasted no time in snatching her up and bringing her back to the alley as the fire spread and the townspeople panicked. Hazel eyes wide behind her glasses, hair frizzed from the heat she grinned, the soot making her teeth look whiter.

"I got 'em!" She held up three small leather bound books.

"I've got everything, and I think I know where they've got Kain!" She looked at the two of us, Magnus his fists clenching rhythmically from irritation and anger; not at us you understand, but at the atrocities we'd witnessed. (He told us so as we began the journey back.) And myself, probably pale and shaking, a large pile of vomit at my feet and splattered along the bottom half of the wall.

"..." Even though she can be kind of a moron sometimes, she's not stupid.

"Let's get the hell out of dodge eh?"

Avernus burned to the ground.

Ask me if I care.

&

AN: Hoo boy that was dark. And probably doesn't make up for the long-ass wait I put you through. Feel free to yell at me for it, but many thanks go to ASR, who hasn't let me forget I'm working on this behemoth. So hate me, love Azura.


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